Uncanny Snake
by xTheSilverLadyx
Summary: On her 22nd birthday, Rynne Salazar Slytherin finds herself on the run for her life. Seeking refuge within the walls of Hogwarts, Rynne finds that life as a student is rougher than she anticipated. However, she finds comfort in the one person who has always been there.
1. I - Runaway

Parties were not my definition of fun, wearing an overzealous dress, to impress the masses, dancing around like a buffoon while getting drunk on wine and champagne, watching men and women torture muggles. I suppose that wouldn't be the definition of an ordinary party though, to the death eaters crawling down below me, however, this was more than pleasing. Their definition of fun relied on how much agony they could inflict on a person before they died, and even though the screams often echoed through the mansion, I took no pleasure in listening to them.

Every so often parties would be held in this mansion, the Slytherin name had a lot of baggage, and Tom being the bastard that he was, utilized that to his every advantage. Along with the pureblood bearing, we were known to be very wealthy, and I could not deny that Salazar had assured the coffers were full before his death. I never liked death eaters, and I never would, the same could go for my father, but when driven back into a corner, sometimes all one can do is surrender. After losing his wife and my mother to those bastards, I knew the thought of losing me too would break his heart. Yet there wasn't a single thing I could do. Well, that's not entirely true, I had tried to do something once, but my plan had a few loose screws, that's all I had to say.

I sighed, rereading the page I was stuck on for the millionth time, my mind couldn't think straight at the moment, it never could, not when I knew more than a dozen bloodthirsty killers were violating my house. It always put me on edge, and no matter how I tried to distract myself, my thoughts still wandered back to the past. I threw my book across the bed in frustration only to look up as the door creaked open slightly, Severus standing in the doorway holding a glass of wine in one hand. He raised a brow, his eyes trailing to the open book awkwardly resting on its side, more than a few pages probably bent.

"What?" I barked sending him a nasty glare. A scream echoed through the mansion's walls, and I thinned my lips averting my eyes. Sev took a step into my room shutting the door behind him as he recast the incantation and strode to the windowsill, peering out into the distance before glancing back towards me.

"Your father asked me to check up on you," he whispered his complexion growing solemn.

"He doesn't have to," I mumbled resting my head on the backboard staring at the man's chest. Even tonight, he was wearing his black robes, I had rarely seen him without them, except for that one night when my father had invited Severus for dinner. A very awkward experience that we all agreed never to speak of again. "What are they doing down there?" I asked clutching the edge of my dress.

"You're free to go have a look," he answered bringing the edge of the glass to his lips, but before he could take a sip, he stopped lowering the glass, taking a good look at the crimson liquid. "I would not recommend it."

"Did you partake?"

"Yes," he answered bluntly, the very sound of my question gnawing on his patience. He took a seat in one of the armchairs overlooking the balcony, and with the curtains drawn back, the moonlight beamed down on his pale face.

"Is that why you came here?" I asked sliding off the edge of my bed. It was rare for Severus to make an appearance, ever since our unfortunate accident, he made it one of his personal goals to interact with me at most once a month. I had a feeling tonight, was less about me, he looked weary, his eyes dozing in and out of reality as his hues darkened recalling memories of past days.

"Perhaps." He set the glass of wine of the table, and I strode over to the empty armchair across from his taking a seat, slipping one leg over the other. I slid the wineglass over to my side and firmly took hold of it lifting the glass to my lips. "I would not," he said dully, his eyes taking a quick peek at me. The smell of blood wafted through my nostrils, and I quickly pulled the glass away, setting it back on the coffee table, staring at it with mild disgust.

The room grew eerily silent, and I dipped my head, my curls cascading down the side of my face as I hid my troubled expression. "You could have said something sooner," I grumbled.

"I did," he said slowly, his silky voice laced with venom, and yet I could feel the bitterness was not directed at me. I looked back to the glass, my stomach aching from the thought alone, that was just disgusting. I tilted my head to the side, staring at Sev, his eyes fixated on the moon, until he averted his eyes, his gaze falling on me.

"You should go back," I said. "People will wonder where you've been." He nodded but did not attempt to get up. "Se-" The ground trembled, and I let out a small gasp, my nails digging into the armrest of the chair. I stood up quickly, as the ground shook once more, and using the back of the chair for support I drew my wand. Severus reciprocated my actions. The door to my bedroom flew off its hinges sliding along the length of the floor, but before Sev could raise his wand, I blasted the death eater sending him toppling back over the railing.

Striding towards the door, Sev dramatically flicked his wand through the air, killing the next death eater foolish enough to step into his line of sight. I followed after him quietly, making sure to stay at least a full meter behind him. Finally, he came to a stop and glanced back at me. "Go back to your room." I shook my head glaring at him defiantly, but when he pointed his wand at me, I did not expect him to fire a spell. Sadly, I was proven wrong as I was knocked back, sliding against the marble tiles. He did not just do that. I was wearing a dress too, so that was extremely rude of him. I grabbed onto the railing helping myself up to my feet, staring at where Sev last stood with a frown.

It would be foolish to attempt to follow him again, so I stomped back to my room throwing the balcony door wide open, stepping out into the crisp midnight air. I took a deep breath staring at the massive oak tree looming away from the balcony's railing. Backing into my bedroom I made a running start, pressing my palms against the handrail, I threw myself over the edge securing myself onto the closest branch. With a crack, I was sent tumbling down amongst the other branches and groaned managing to grab another one instead; thankfully this one hadn't broken. I landed rather sloppily and stared at the hem of my dress, small cuts and tears catching my attention. Damn it, I liked this dress, sure it was a plain short white dress, but it was comfortable.

I ran a hand through my hair trying to tame the loose curls that had been thrown around during the fall. It was already hard enough to take care of them as it was, why did the world have to make it even harder? I'm pretty sure I was cursed, I inherited silky hair from my parents, but somehow, my hair always seemed to curl on its own, whether or not I wished for it to do so, I tried straightening my hair once, and it did absolutely nothing, same for magical shampoo. I was snapped out of my idle thoughts as I felt the aftershock of an explosion, fire bursting out of the windows above.

"My room," I breathed. I had my sketchbook and violin in there. Those monsters! I hugged the wall, running along the side of the mansion, my breaths small and rapid. Before I could round the corner, however, another figure emerged, and I gasped slamming into the person. I caught myself on the wall and looked up letting out a small sigh. "Dad, what's going?"

He tossed his long black hair over his shoulders and sneered. Apparently, he wasn't going to tell me. "Where's Severus?" And there it was, the infamous counter question.

"I don't know," I hummed in slight annoyance taking a step back. His hands were bloody, and I stared at my father, tilting my head to the side.

"A mutiny has occurred," he stated simply, rubbing his knuckles together, the dry blood crisping before falling into the grass patches. I assumed he was the one to start the mutiny, and I assumed correctly when he shot me a knowing glare. "Assumptions will get you killed one day."

"It's not an assumption if it's true," I countered.

"But it was an assumption before it was proven true," he argued. I narrowed my eyes and him and huffed. There was no winning against him. I threw my hands up in the air, and he shot his finger in the direction of the forest. "Go."

"What, no! I am not leaving you here," I spat grabbing the sleeve of his tunic.

"Rynne," he scowled, his brows furrowing. His eyes softened, and he slid his hand down to my arm squeezing it gently. "I need to make sure my daughter is safe, can you do that for me?" Ugh, how was I supposed to say no when he was using that tone.

"What about Sev?" I asked quickly.

"No need to worry about him," he assured pushing me along. "He'll find you, now go," he commanded. I nodded slowly and ran towards the woods, dancing in and out of the trees' vision. Glancing over my shoulder, I spotted five death eaters following me. Running past a pale looking tree, I ripped off a red strip from the bark, taking a sharp right. Amongst the trees sat an old and abandoned well, I leaped over the edge gripping the rope with all my might, sliding down into the well, my hands burning against the cord. I landed with a small thud, the cold stone tiles chilling my feet. I should have slipped on some flats at the very least, guess I got caught up in the moment.

The well connected to an underground passageway leading approximately 2 kilometers away from the forest, into a small ditch surrounded by cornfields. However, hearing the voices above, I had a feeling they would quickly catch on to this not so secret passageway. I ran down the tunnel looking over my shoulder at every interval I could making sure not to trip on any cracks. I bit my bottom lip as the small stone pebbles dug into my flesh. Voices echoed through the tunnel, and I bit back a scowl, thankfully I glanced over my shoulder just in time to deflect an incoming spell. It hit the ceiling, and to my luck, the roof of the tunnel collapsed blocking off the death eaters.

Having watched enough horror movies, my legs did not stop, and then the blockade burst into pieces, a surge of fiery flames engulfed the tunnel. "Shit, shit, shit," I murmured, feeling the heat beat against my back. I closed my eyes concentrating and then with crackle apparated. I glanced up met by more trees and sighed leaning against the bark of a nearby tree, engraved with the initial T plus R. I shuddered and glanced around, through the canopy of the trees, the sky was a deep midnight blue, I would assume it to be the early hours of morning and sighed looking down at my wand. Today was my 22nd birthday, what a day to be alive.

A twig cracked in the distance, and I gasped ducking behind a tree when a flash of red light exploded against the tree I had dipped behind. I closed my eyes, bark flying in every direction, and mustering up my courage fled to the next tree, throwing a spell back at the death eater. How had he known I would have apparated here or was the death eater waiting for me all along. Questions flooded my mind, but first things first, I should probably kill the person trying to kill me. Yeah, probably a good idea me, good thinking. I dove from behind my cover aiming my wand at the thicket. "Bombarda Maxima!"

The trees weren't thick enough to block the impact, and the death eater was caught in the massive explosion, blasting the upper halves of the trees further back into the thicket. That may have been an overkill, but I wasn't staying to find out, that was for sure. I emerged from the edge of the woods, climbing the hill when I was met with hundreds of tents sloppily lined up, chatter filling my ears. In the distance, I spotted a stadium, and my jaw dropped slightly, tonight was the world cup, huh no joke. A lot of chanting went on for the winning team, Bulgaria, good for them. I walked with confident strides, my face indifferent as I observed my surroundings. I grabbed a cloak sitting on the back of a camping chair and took a sharp turn throwing it over my shoulders.

I pulled the hood over my head and made way for the stadium, knowing I would blend in better with at least a few dozen people swarming around me. Screams echoed in the distance, and I glanced over my shoulder eyeing the cloud of smoke rising from a tent not too far off. I sped up pushing past people and escalating the stairs leading up to the stadium. This was the quidditch world cup; I'm sure they have a broom or two just lying around somewhere. A man shoved me out of the way, and I groaned throwing my leg out. He tripped over my foot and gasped falling down the flight of stairs until he slammed onto the landing, his back hitting the baluster as he came to a full stop. I flourished my cloak and scoffed resuming my climb.

I may look cute and fluffy, but I won't deny I'm still a snake at heart, plus that man was rude, he pushed me for like no reason whatsoever. To be honest, I did not think the death eaters would make such an effort to come chasing after me all the way out here but taking a peek outside the stadium I grimaced at the sight of the dark mark looming above the campgrounds. A hand landed on my shoulder, and I gasped, whipping around, my wand at the ready. Before I could even utter a spell, Sev had my wrist pinned to the wall and a hand over my mouth.

"Don't sneak up on me," I spat, leaning forward to bite his hand. He quickly pulled away, wiping his hand against the side of his cloak, his eyes darkening as he looked down at me.

"Don't try to hex me," he spat back. Well, he was the one who snuck up on me, what was I supposed to do if it had ended up not being him, stand there like an idiot? I didn't bother arguing because it wouldn't get us anywhere and once he let go of my wrist, and I lowered my hand, I reached behind my neck and unhooked the locket, holding it out to Sev. No words were shared as he hastily took hold of the locket storing it within his robes.

"Let's go," he grunted taking the lead.

"Wait, I was gonna make a spectacular escape using a broom," I whined.

"And get shot out of the sky, brilliant plan," he hummed sarcastically, grabbing my arm roughly and pulling me to his side. The floor trembled, the aftershock of yet another explosion, and I thinned my lips as the crowd began to panic, rushing towards the stairwell. Sev quickly turned around and led me the other away, he stood in front of me, shoving people aside. The cons of moving against traffic. We took a different staircase, one completely barren.

"I'm pretty sure people avoided this stairwell for a reason," I whispered tugging at Sev's sleeve. He ignored me and tugged back, forcing me to take a few steps down the stairs. His eyes landed on my feet, and he rose a questioning brow.

"You have no shoes..." he trailed off, his voice laced with annoyance.

"Blame yourself," I grumbled.

"You little-" A flash of white light illuminated the stairwell, and Sev let go of my arm shoving me aside as the spell collided with his chest. He was jerked away with momentum, and tumbled down the stairwell, his body lying on the ground motionless. I gasped taking a step down the flight of stairs, but a man cleared his throat, and I let out a shaky breath, turning around to be met with the man's masked face. His panicked body gestures told me that he had not meant to hit the Dark Lord's favorite potion's master.

With his wand pointed towards me, the death eater rushed down the flight of stairs inspecting Sev's body, a sigh of relief escaping his lips. So he was just unconscious, okay, it would make this a lot easier. "You, up against the railing," he ordered. I let out a small puff of air and rose my wand, aiming it at him. To my surprise, the man then pointed his wand at Sev, and I frowned. What was he playing at?

"Jump, or he gets it." Did everyone assume I was just head over heels for the man?

"That's ridiculous," I scoffed. "You wouldn't have the balls," I chuckled. Every death eater knew Severus, and the fact that he hadn't killed Sev yet, meant that he had nothing to do with this mutiny, so I had my father to thank for that at least. His position, for the time being, was secured. Except for this man, if he got away and told Tom that Sev was with me, his position would undoubtedly be compromised. The man was on edge, and I let out a small chuckle disarming him. I was disarmed in turn and looked up, shit there were two of them. I didn't even hear the other one.

"The Dark Lord wants her alive," the death eater above spoke. I backed up against the railing, and they both moved in on me, seeking to prevent me from doing anything foolish. I dodged at the last minute as one of the death eaters tried to grab me, I spun around him, taking hold of his shirt helping him over the railing. With only one death eater left, I pretended to lose my footing and tumbled down the flight of stairs covering my head, my body hit Sev's, and I groaned reaching into his robes pulling out his wand. I whipped around quickly disarming the remaining death eater and shrugged as I blasted him off the stairwell, a loud scream echoing as he plummeted to his death. The previous death eater had managed to catch himself on the railing down below and climbed back up the stairs with burning rage in his eyes. I didn't think twice before executing him and then lowered my wand slowly.

I sighed running a hand through my hair and scoffed hitting Sev's back gently. "Making me do all the work," I mumbled rolling him over. I left his side retrieving my wand as I patched up the cut on his forehead, wiping the blood away with my bare hand. "Please wake up," I whispered shaking him gently. "I really don't want to carry you, and I can barely lift fifty pounds, don't do this to me," I groaned shaking him harder. I didn't receive a single tic of movement and sighed dragging Sev against the railing, bringing him to a sitting position. I grabbed his hand, throwing his arm over my shoulder, and after what seemed like an eternity, I wrapped my hand around his waist, hoisting him up to his feet, his full weight resting against my body.

"Fuck you're heavy," I panted taking one step at a time, making sure to readjust his weight every few steps so I wouldn't lose my balance. This was definitely not ideal, I didn't want to lift his body, however, if another death eater joined the party, I would first have to drop the spell, and by that time, it could already be too late. Emerging from the stadium, I coughed due to the smoky air, a thin layer of ash settling above us. I looked around unsure where to go, the fire had spread everywhere and screams echoed in every direction. I decided to head north, or at least what I thought was north, and just stick with it.

"Now would be a good time to wake up," I huffed. After dragging his ass for a solid ten minutes, I felt like jello, I tripped on a plank of wood, and my legs gave out. I slammed against the ground relieved for a slight second as fresh air cycled through my lungs. I didn't have much time to enjoy it as a death eater loomed over me, and I grimaced, reaching for my wand just a few inches away. I let out a sharp cry of pain as the man stepped on my hand, his heel twisting back and forth against my flesh.

"Crucio," he spoke lazily. I bit back a scream and squirmed shutting my eyes, my body twitching against my will. I gasped as another wave of pain shot through me, earning a small whimper, my nails digging into the dirt. "The Dark Lord will be pleased," the man nodded to himself. On the third wave I let out a sharp gasp of pain, and finally screamed feeling a thousand needles piercing my flesh all at once. The man took a step back, my wand twirling between his fingers, I hadn't even seen him retrieve it.

"No rule said I could not have my fun before delivering you," he smiled sadistically, sheathing his wand. "And seeing as that poor slob failed to stop you, I shall take responsibility." He thought I did this to Severus, I parted my lips but quickly closed them. Severus would have whipped my ass in a split second had we actually dueled. I glanced back at his limp body and sighed, I was about to reach my limit, but the man looked intent on dragging this out, so I obliged rising to my feet.

"Come at me," he barked beckoning me forward. Oh, what the hell, that was totally unfair, he was a fucking giant compared to me, even if I did land a punch, I doubt it would do very much. Even so, I wasn't in a position to defy, so I charged at the man, hitting his chest as hard as I could, his face a bit too high for me to reach. He didn't flinch, and I took a step back fear washing over me. He set a hand on my shoulder pulling me forward, his fist digging into my stomach. I gagged, unable to find the will to breathe, I dropped to my knees and gasped for air, clutching onto my stomach tightly. I didn't get time to rest as the man's foot connected with my jaw, sending me back into the dry grass. I rolled to my side coughing, blood oozing out of my nose.

"Sectumsempra!" I glanced up looking at Sev, his face consumed by fury, good about time he got up. I dragged myself up to my knees, leaning forward on my hands, watching droplets of blood dripping from the tip of my nose. I wiped the blood away holding my nose groaning in pain. My whole body ached, and I stared at the pair of black combat boots before me. "Can you stand?" I nodded slowly and with his help rose to my feet, even though I said yes, my legs gave out, and my head hit his chest. I closed my eyes, my senses drowning into nothingness, and then darkness washed over me.

 **And that's chapter one, I hope you enjoyed!**


	2. II - A Welcoming

Darkness surrounded me, and with a sudden jolt, pain shot through my body, the merciless stinging driving me to the edge of madness. Hands wrapped around my throat squeezing tightly, goosebumps running down my flesh as my lungs collapsed on themselves. I struggled, my nails scratching the empty air around me, darkness slowly closing in and then darkness consumed me.

I sat up quickly gasping for air and clutching the sheets tightly. It was just a dream, just a dream. I gently felt around my neck and gasped at the sudden throb of pain, but it didn't come from my neck. I clutched the side of my head groaning loudly as the pain only intensified. Memories came flooding back of yesterday, and I let out a sigh of relief, honoring the pain telling me I was still alive. Coming to my senses, I finally took a look at my surroundings, an old rustic room with light gently filtering through the cracks in the curtains.

Looking down, the whole upper half of my body had been wrapped in bandages, and I thinned my lips feeling somewhat violated, but at least, I was alive. I wondered if Sev was alright, but knowing him, he was too stubborn to die. I had given him medical attention as soon as I could, and I assumed he repaid the favor. The room was unfamiliar to me, but it was cozy and welcoming, but that did not stop my discomfort.

"Good, you're awake," an old man smiled throwing the curtains open, I was blinded by the light and shielded my eyes trying to shy away from the rays of the sun. He too was unfamiliar to me. A goblin waddled inside the room gathering the bowl of water beside me on the nightstand. I sat there, baffled and uncertain, questions racing through my mind, but I knew what came first.

"Thank you?" I questioned, feeling the bandages loosen from my sudden movement.

"My pleasure," he smiled exiting the room with the goblin, poking his head back in motioning to the chair resting beside the window sill, a pair of clothes that looked suspiciously like a uniform occupied the chair. I nodded silently, and once the two were out of my field of vision, I slid out of bed. I was still wearing the same dress, but I still felt violated knowing I had been undressed. I couldn't complain though; I felt much better than I should have considering I had almost been killed several times.

I undressed changing into the clothes that were provided for me, definitely a school uniform. I slipped out of the room glancing at each side, to be greeted by an empty hallway. To the right was a dead end, and to the left a staircase leading down into the unknown. I closed the door behind me and tiptoed down the stairs, met with an empty tavern area. Sev, however, sat quietly in a chair, his head rocking between his hands in deep thought. I cleared my throat, and he looked up somewhat relieved, but it was had to tell with his stoic expression.

He rose to his feet cupping my cheek and tilting my face to the side examining my bruises, his left hand brushed the wound on my forehead, and I winced. "What happened?" I asked. His eyes glazed over with unknown emotion and he pulled his hand away.

"I was careless," he said quietly. I nodded with skepticism and took a step back. It wasn't entirely his fault.

"Well, I forgive you," I beamed, clasping his shoulder firmly. Severus scoffed, preferably in amusement as he shooed my hand away deciding to ignore my cheeky remark.

"Well let's get a move on," he urged guiding me out through a side door. I grabbed the hem of his sleeve and looked around.

"Umm, what is this place?"

"The leaky cauldron, I see you are still very much sheltered." My cheeks flushed red, and I parted my lips unsure what to say but fruitlessly defend myself, in the end, I said nothing. He grabbed my arm pulling me into him, and with a tight grip around my waist, we apparated with a crackle.

"Aren't we apparating straight to Hogwarts?" I asked glancing around the train station. He shook his head, his eyes directed at the muggles casually strolling about the train station awaiting their trains.

"No." He answered unwilling to give me a proper reason, but his eyes warned me not to mess with him, so I didn't. We walked along the muggle populace, men and women alike, most dressed in a business casual manner, I felt out of place, or perhaps it was just my lack of human contact for the past four years. Out of nowhere, Snape shoved me into a pillar, and surprisingly I went through, he followed suit looming behind me, and I shot him a withering glare.

"That was uncalled for," I hissed.

"Many things are uncalled for." His lips twitched into a smirk, and I groaned. Cocky asshole. He got his fair share of bad luck as a kid ran into him, almost knocking Severus off his feet. I grew silent as his blood boiled and he barked a snide insult at the poor child, who stood frozen in fear. So this was the infamous Professor Snape? Scary. He caught me staring and cleared his throat ushering me along. We boarded the train, students greeting the professor more out of fear than respect. He, however, ignored all of them, his eyes keeping forward until he found an empty compartment to the back of the train. He opened the door beckoning for me to hurry along. I sat across from him staring out the window. The train shook slightly, and with a hesitated start, we were off.

I grabbed a copy of the daily prophet reading, and my eyes trailed across the pages, it seems as though the death eaters had made quite a scene. I frowned at the dozens of deaths and missing personnel that were at the event at the time of the attack. It was unfortunate, but even more so to know I had been responsible for the attack, I led them there, and for my self-preservation, others died, it was not a good feeling. The newspaper was ripped from my hands, and Severus tore it in half discarding the contents in the small wastebasket latched onto the wall. He seemed in a bad mood, and rested the side of his face on the palm of his hand, his eyes avoiding mine. He always acted with reason, but as for verbally voicing them, he was terrible, unless it came to putting someone back in their place.

A good half hour into the ride he rummaged through the inner pockets of his robes and pulled out a vial. I stared at the black and repulsive liquid, my eyes fluttering with uncertainty and gently, I shook my head. His eyes narrowed as he swirled the vial between his fingers, the contents sticking to the side. I thinned my lips as he reached to hand me the vial. "I am not drinking that," I breathed.

"You will, or I will make you," he growled lowly, a chill running through my spine. I nodded quickly and snatched the vial popping off the lid. There were times when Sev was a bit too intimidating for my liking, and it put me on edge. He seemed to calm down as I emptied the contents down, my mouth hit with a bitter taste, for all I know it could have been goblin piss. The thought alone made me shudder. I felt strangely exhausted, and Sev moved beside me, my body leaning into his as my eyes closed.

I woke up, my head resting on the comfortable confines of his robes, I had been sleeping on his lap. Luckily, Severus was asleep, his arms crossed and head slightly tilted to his left trying to lean on his shoulder but not quite. My head felt rather fuzzy, and I wondered what the hell he had given me. My body, however, felt light and I stood up stretching my arms and legs. I could hear a woman outside, stirring a trolley, mildly shouting the goodies she was selling. I patted myself down realizing I had no money and looked at Severus. I didn't want to wake him. He, however, let out a grunt and rummaged through his pockets dropping a few coins into my hand. "Be quick," he said in a hoarse whisper.

"Thank you," I smiled. "Do you want anything?" He pondered the question as if coming up with an answer was too much work, but he settled on something simple.

"Sherbet lemons then," he drawled.

"Okay," I smiled opening the compartment door. The trolley was just down the hall, and a small line had built up. Two girls stood before me, they gossiped about anything and everything, and I could only assume they had been to Hogwarts for a few years now.

"Want anything off the trolley dear?" The woman asked with a mischievous grin.

"I'll have two blood pops and a bag of sherbet lemons, thank you." I paid the woman and returned to my compartment throwing Sev his bag of sherbet lemons. "I haven't eaten in at least a day," I chuckled.

"And yet that's what you go with?" He scolded popping one of the candies into his mouth.

"I like them," I said plainly. Sev sighed and closed his eyes as if trying to regain sleep, I wonder how long it had been since he slept, he could go for days without sleeping, but he was still human. The train came to a sudden stop, and I gasped as my body jolted forward. Sev caught me, his arms resting underneath mine, he remained silent watching our surroundings intently. The window froze over, the glass lightly cracking and the lights went out. The train was thrown into complete silence, my breaths becoming puffs of white clouds, and the temperature dropping considerably. Sev hoisted me up to the space between his legs, he pulled out his wand, and I watched as an inhumane figure passed our door before making a sharp turn, its blurred out figure looming against the glass. My heart skipped a beat from the dementor stationed outside our compartment door, its long and bony fingers slipping through the cracks prying the door open from the inside. Snape tightened his hold on me, our chests pressed together, yet he was calm. Frighteningly so, his heartbeat steady and even, he was prepared to battle the dementor if he had to, but a bright flash of light traveled through the train's corridor and the dementor vanished.

Severus relaxed, his hand loosening around his wand. "Get off," he growled, and my eyes widened as I scurried off of him. Awkward. We sat in silence as the train came to a proper stop, and we got off. Immediately I was met by a half-giant, and my jaw dropped. I had never seen a half-giant before. "Ah, ye must be Miss Slytherin, welcome," he said in a slow whisper, making sure to keep the kids at bay. "Professor," the large man nodded, acknowledging the dark presence behind me.

"I am, thank you," I smiled shaking his hand. To say he had large hands was an understatement, they were gigantic, and his firm handshake felt like a death grip, but I smiled. Nonetheless, I'm sure he meant no harm. Sev stepped forward gripping the half-giant's wrist, prying it off with ease.

"Yes, yes," Sev trailed off dully, placing a hand on the small of my back to lead me away. "The headmaster is expecting us, so if you'll excuse us." Sev was never one to ask for permission, his tone was always commanding, or demanding, and as always, I never got to introduce myself properly, and neither did the half-giant. He seemed like a nice man though, and I would have to ask his name at a later time.

"It wouldn't kill you to converse once in a while," I scolded receiving no response whatsoever. Rather than following the masses of first years, Severus led me down a separate route, all greetings he encountered, he promptly ignored. I had a feeling he wasn't quite beloved around here. Then again, Severus wasn't beloved anywhere, that's just not the kind of man he wanted to be. He led me down a corridor until we came to a stop at a gargoyle statue. He mumbled a pair of inaudible words and the statue turned revealing a staircase. Sev motioned for me to go in first so I climbed the stairs only to be met with a wooden door. I opened it not feeling the need to knock and walked in staring at the beautiful decor. Snape set both hands on my shoulder forcing me to take a step forward so he could walk into the room and he waited.

A familiar fiery orange bird took my attention, his elegant posture and condescending gaze, it was none other than Fawks. I rushed over stroking his little head with a goofy grin. "Hey buddy," I whispered.

"And hello to you, Rynne," a whimsical voice spoke. I looked up greeted by Albus' mirthful gaze.

"Hello Albus, it's nice to see you too," I smirked giving him a great big hug. Sev cleared his throat, and the headmaster rolled his eyes over to him.

"Ah yes Severus, I trust your mission had a bit of a setback," in saying so, he glanced at me, and I frowned.

"I wouldn't call myself a setback," I mumbled quietly. Severus scoffed, and I narrowed my eyes. "By all means, I know my way out," I said bluntly.

"And hand yourself to the death eaters, that would be the day," Severus spat with bitter humor. My hands clenched and I took in a deep breath relaxing.

"Severus," Albus warned. "Right, let us get back on track. Miss Slytherin, any accommodations you need will be taken care of." I frowned at the headmaster and tugged at my skirt.

"I-"

"This is not up for debate," Severus growled threateningly.

"Thank you, Albus," I whispered. The headmaster's eyes shone with glee, and he clapped his hands together.

"Now that you will be staying with us, Miss Slytherin-"

"Miss Salazar," I interrupted. Severus scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Every death eater knows your face, changing your name won't save you."

"It's not for the death eaters, I..." I cut myself off. "Anyway Albus, continue." A sparkle twinkled in his eyes, and he clasped his hands together once more as if the action somehow made his words official.

"Miss Salazar then, I believe a 7th-year Slytherin will suffice to complete your disguise, yes?" I nodded blankly, looking over at Severus, a scowl plastered on his lips. "And I trust Severus will look closely after you," he smiled.

"You mean, I'm a student? No Albus, please, I've done my years, don't do this to me!" I cried out earning a small chuckle.

"Happy 22nd birthday, Rynne. Now then, I believe I have a speech to give." He excused himself and exited through the doors.

"Slytherin," I mused. "Well Salazar would be proud," I smirked. In response, Sev gave an almost inaudible chuckle, and I stared at him like he had gone mad.

"What's so funny?" I asked.

"As head of the Slytherin house, don't make me punish you," he warned almost playfully before leaving in turn. I huffed shaking my head slowly as if he could even punish me in the first place. Fawks cawed at me to hurry and follow, so I scurried out of Albus' office bumping into snape on my way out. He glanced over his shoulder, glaring at me as I rubbed my nose.

"I thought you were long gone, sorry," I mumbled. Severus didn't respond but walked ahead, peering over his shoulder again, waiting for me to follow. "Severus," I whispered. He turned around looking somewhat irritated and flourished his robes.

"We are not friends, nor do we know each other, now with that regard in mind, you will either call me professor, sir, or simply Snape, Miss Salazar," he mocked coldly. I nodded the words I had been waiting to speak dissipating in my mind. "Next time, detention." I thinned my lips nodding slowly, baffled by what had just happened. He turned into a completely different person, and it was rather unsettling. I had known him for eight years, but even now, he could be a complete mystery. You would think eight years would be enough, but I was wrong. He clutched his forearm and hissed, his face contorting to a mix of emotions for a split second before he recovered. He shot me a glare, and I stepped back knowing that the dark lord had called upon him. Perhaps he hated me, and I was the one who had thrown him into this hell hole all because I hesitated. Was he one to hold a grudge? Well, he could, but did he?

I was swimming in a pool of questions with no answers and sighed heading to the Great Hall. Even though my emotions were currently loose, I felt overly worried, not for myself but Severus. After yesterday's events, I'm sure Tom would be more than delighted to re-establish the chain of command and to do so, it would most definitely be physical. I shot worried glances over to Sev who made sure to keep his eyes fixated on either his plate or something far off in the distance, simply so our eyes could not meet. Albus took the pleasure of introducing me, and I rose out of politeness, but once seated I ignored the flood of questions and kept to myself. Just because I was now a student didn't mean I wanted to interact with them. It felt odd after being alone and isolated for all those years, and I didn't feel ready to engage in any relationship, friendship or otherwise. Sev rose from his seat at the high table flourishing his robes as he excused himself, his face indifferent to the burning pain on his forearm, I guess he would be leaving now.

As the night and festivities drew to a close, I rose from my seat following the prefect to the Slytherin dorms. The castle had a very homey feel to it, and maybe it was the lighting or all the paintings which seemed to be arguing over the overcomplexity of life or in their case, death. Or perhaps, it was just a more significant contrast than I expected from my old life, everything seemed to be alive and cheerful. Happy to be alive is a phrase most would not often use, from the world I resided in at least. To be alive was a privilege but not a gift by any means. Life is suffering after all.

I was not thrilled to share a room with other girls, but I wouldn't let it bug me too much. A suitcase sat on my bed, a few errant items laying about, I was surprised to find my side of the wardrobe full of clothes that fit me, mostly leggings and hoodies along with three more uniforms hanging near the back of the closet. A velvet colored box rested atop my sheets and pulling the lid off my heart throbbed at the silky black wood that met my eyes. The wand slid into my hand, the texture smooth and delicate, gracing me with its presence. I guess my wand hadn't survived the past ordeal, what a shame. The perfect contours to fit the shape of my hands and the length was decent too, eleven inches, with a phoenix core. Pure blackwood, tough yet tender, it was perfect. How could I ever thank Albus enough?


	3. III - A Little Bird

My morning, oh yes, classes. Another year of misery surrounded by mediocrity and teenage angst, one would have to pardon my dwindling excitement. At least my first class wasn't as terrible as I thought it would be mostly because it wasn't quite what I'd call a class. I mean Care of Magical Creatures was enjoyable, considering I was Hagrid's aid so to speak, I got to sit back and watch kids struggle, satisfying to some degree. The half-giant seemed to be well aware of my situation, and he was somewhat loose around me, the way he spoke and the occasional jokes, certainly not ones a teacher would crack with a student. If Albus trusted him though, then he, in turn, had earned my trust.

That being said, the aftermath was somewhat troubling, I had to round up the hippogriff, and that thing did not play nice. I now understood why the students struggled so much, and I was more than a little anxious to approach the beast. After removing my robes, I started slow and steady, bowing to the hippogriff who reciprocated my action with grace. I approached it slowly and petted the creature smiling eagerly, I grabbed a bloody piece of meat from the bucket and lured the beast towards Hagrid's hut, but the bloody thing bit me, and I hissed out in pain, throwing the piece of meat far off into the distance.

"Fucking hell," I grumbled shaking my hand, the bite wasn't too deep, but deep enough to draw blood, and I frowned taking out my newly acquired wand as I mended the wound with care. Note to self: don't try to feed a hippogriff like a baby chick, it's gonna bite your damn hand off. After that, I followed my mental note and threw the meat to the side, and sure enough, the beast caught it with graceful ease as it followed me eagerly awaiting its next treat. Once you get the hang of it, it isn't all that bad, to be honest.

I was thankful I was the first one in my defense against the dark arts classroom, mostly because I did not want to get stuck in hallway traffic or have to take a seat in the front of the class, those seats were always open because no one wanted to sit there. However, as I entered the room, a tall, slender man greeted me with his unruly light brown hair, worn suit and green eyes which matched his looks to the letter. "Moony," I sighed in delight bringing the man in for a much-needed embrace.

"Rynne," he returned the greeting with a gentle smile, his hand settling on the top of my head. It had been far too long since I had last seen him. I had lost count of the years. "They grow up so fast," he joked. "From a child to rebellious young adult."

"Rebellious? You haven't seen my magic at work yet," I teased, and we broke the hug taking time to stare each other down. "You've lost weight," I noted.

"And you've gained weight," he chuckled. I sneered and gave him the middle finger turning my back to him.

"What a charmer," I grumbled. "Oh-did you cast that patronus charm? On the train I mean."

"Pesky dementors are everywhere nowadays, dark wizards roam the world, and Aurors are only thinning by the day," he said grimly, but quickly changed his complexion as a student walked in early. "Thank you for informing me, Miss Salazar, I will inform the headmaster." With that, he dismissed me casually returning to the front of the class to prepare his lecture. The class was rather dull and uneventful, but I couldn't pin the blame on Remus, the first day of class was always a bore, no matter the subject.

I scanned my timetable upset at the fact that I had Snape twice, for alchemy and potions, this was going to be a long year especially since he had wiped me off the map entirely since yesterday. I wasn't mad or upset, well that was a lie, I was definitely upset, but that's the kind of man he was. Putting on a facade and acting out his role with perfection until the very end. Severus was dedicated, even more so when he was on the job. Still, it was frustrating to be brushed off so readily, eight years to me seems like a lot of time to get to know someone, getting to call them a friend, and enjoy the occasional lousy inside joke shared between the two us.

That wasn't all that was bothering me though, a part of me wondered if my father had made it out alive, we weren't particularly close, we had never been, but he was still family. The man who cared for me and raised me, and despite our differences over the past years, I still remember the tender moments he spent with me as a child, and it hurt knowing that at this second his body could be lying dead, as death eaters mutilated him. The thought angered me, but my rage was futile as there was nothing I could do but wait.

Herbology was...interesting. As a child, I had always thought about how fun it would be to have a twin, but after today, I was glad I never had one. Having to act as a human shield the entire period between the Weasley twins was exasperating. They were both nice young men, but truthfully, when twins get pissy at each other, they get pissy. And it only took a second for me to snap and scold them both for their behavior, earning a scowl from Professor Sprout at my outburst. If I had to rate my day so far, it would be a five out of then plus one thanks to seeing Remus again, but it was average. I wasn't even halfway through the day, and already my eye was twitching. Probably from my lack of sleep, I had been having nightmares repeatedly, thoughts I had buried in the deepest darkest corner of my mind hoping to rid myself of them eventually and move on with my life, but of course, that would not happen.

After a dramatic entrance, and the sound of a door slamming harshly against the stone walls, alchemy began, and as expected Severus didn't so much as glance at me. He was avoiding me like the plague, and I usually wasn't the kind to get all mushy or whatever, but ouch. We had gone from good friends to strangers. I had always enjoyed our small talk, and the rare knowing glances we would give to each other, and to be honest, I'd rather be on the run for my life than have to pretend he didn't exist. I was determined to draw his attention in any way I could, but messing up on the assignment on purpose, he didn't so much as scold me. The worst part, he gave me full marks, not even wanting to give me a hint of satisfaction. Realizing that he was hellbent on not playing my game, I gave into his and retrieved my paper keeping to myself for the rest of the class. It was depressing.

After alchemy, I sat in the great hall reading a muggle book, quietly eating. I had an empty hour after lunch and headed back to my room, Albus had really done a number, it was like I never left home, my violin case, and my sketching pads, he was terrific. Even though I had to share a room with other girls, it wasn't all that bad as most of the time the room was empty. I grabbed my violin case heading down towards the black lake, the vast scenery greeting my eyes, a perfect reflection of the sky, but underneath the surface, the black waters dominated. I sat on the docks, legs tucked and violin case at my side. I had come out here to play, but looking out at the water now, I was slightly mesmerized, the best I had seen was the pond in our backyard just to the edge of the forest

Nevertheless, I played, humming along to the soft melody drifting through the air. I rested my chin on the chinrest and closed my eyes peacefully playing, and before I knew it, I had tears streaming down my face, ones of sorrow and regret. Everything happened so suddenly, ripped from my life, I knew it could be worse, much worse, but even so, it did not stop my heart from aching. The dark wood creaked, and I dropped the bowstring reaching for my wand as I turned around instantly, wand pointed at the figure.

"For the love of-read the mood, Severus," I groaned.

"I thought I made myself clear," he said rather softly.

"Well, you're the one who came out here, genius..." I turned away wiping my eyes as the wood continually creaked under the pressure of his weight. I turned the back of my hand towards him, trying my best to shoo him away, but he did not take the gesture to heart and grabbed my hand gently. I finally managed to rid myself of my tears and looked up, he stared down at me quietly, his eyes analyzing me. What he was looking for, I was not sure.

"Don't be late." Was all that came from his lips, as he pulled his hand away, his fingers grazing mine, and with one swift motion, he flourished his robes and walked away in strides.

I'd put my violin away snapping my fingers and watching it minimize into the palm of my hand carefully storing the violing in the inner compartment of my robes, where I usually kept my wand. I headed to potions barely arriving on time which made me wonder how Severus had managed to arrive in his classroom so quickly. Unlike this morning though, he did not dramatically slam the door while gliding in. He was already at the front of the room ready to go despite only leaving a few seconds before me.

"Turn to page 458, and begin," he instructed. Everyone began as soon as the words left his lips and I nodded, I expected as much, most of these students had had him in their previous years. I flipped to the page and nodded at the potion I had never made this potion or any for that matter, but mixing ingredients and following directions should be simple enough. I looked up to Severus, with a smug look on his face, he knew this to be my weakness, as I had only ever attended muggle schools. My father teaching me everything I needed to know about dueling, not so much on the art of brewing. Well, that was false, Sev had taken part in my education as well, he was my dueling partner, we had fought against and alongside each other for many years, which brought a small smile forth from all the good memories.

However, I remained calm and just smiled back clearly catching him off guard as his smug expression reverted to indifference. I gathered the required ingredients making sure to measure and weigh the correct amounts, taking off small increments at a time, to get the exact balance. I cut the ingredients according to the book but earned a good scolding in doing so as it wasn't good enough for Professor Snape. If he wanted me to dice the Betony, then perhaps the book shouldn't say to slice it into thin segments. I followed his instructions anyway, knowing he was a master of his craft, and one does not question the master.

I moved around my cauldron ignoring him as I dumped ingredients slowly and carefully. I made sure to go in order gently mixing the substance inside the cauldron stirring counterclockwise. Sev paced around the room observing with a watchful eye while striking like a snake, abrupt and venomous. The mixture turned to a blood red color, and I referenced the book with a proud smile, I could get used to this. It was rather calming as though going through the motions, but at the same required patience and precision.

My day seemed to have taken a turn for the worse, I was desperately craving someone to talk to, but no one really seemed to want to talk to the new girl after yesterday's display of indifference in the great hall. I didn't mind it too much-Ah who the hell am I kidding. I was so lonely, and it's only been a day too. I sat in transfiguration pouting to myself meanwhile trying my best not to break my wand due to my repeated annoyed smacks on the table. Thankfully, the classroom was full of chatter as McGonagall was out, and no one seemed to have heard as they were all busy chatting. She finally strode in with an annoyed scowl and began her lesson, her eyes occasionally traveling in my direction to make sure I was paying attention. To which I was not.

Charms was at least somewhat fun, kept myself entertained by using random spells and Professor Flitwick even asked me to demonstrate a spell to the class knowing my expertise with spells was well beyond that of a 7th year at Hogwarts. History of magic, well it's history so yeah, I didn't have much to say, dull and boring, but on the bright side, the professor was a ghost so, it was easy to pretend to be looking in his direction, but in reality I was just zoning out, my eyes glued on the pile of books sitting behind him. He just had one of those voices endlessly droning on until it lulled you into slumber. Realizing this would be an everyday occurrence, I nearly had a heart attack and wanted to scream, but held back knowing I would only attract strange looks.

At breakfast I was met with the dreaded daily prophet, our mansion, my home, all the memories and things I loved, burnt to the ground. It hurt, badly, but I held the grief in pretending to be somebody else. An outsider looking in. An owl swooped down and dropped a black letter with a green seal on the table, right into the eggs. I didn't care though, I snatched it, ripping the envelope to shreds, my eyes scanned the letter less for its contents, but who had signed it. The initial S. at the bottom relieved me along with the familiar handwriting. I calmed myself happy my father was doing well and read the letter thoroughly, taking my time. He went on about how much he loved me and how fear should not dictate actions, but mostly he spoke of the locket, to keep it safe no matter what, and once the time was right, I would know what to do with it. Reading the last words of the letter, it flew out of my hands burning itself mid-air, my face darkening from the news.

I wasn't worried about the locket, If anyone wanted it, they would have to go through Severus, and for that to happen, I would wish the person luck, because Severus was the next best thing to a vault. As for knowing what to do with it when the time came, I cursed under my breath. Someone always had to speak in some sort of riddle, nope they couldn't just come out with it. It felt like I was a poorly written character in some shady novel and no one ever told me anything because I was too stupid to comprehend the words between the lines. Oh wow, I hope that wasn't the case.

I stormed out of the great hall, hands clenched and feet rapidly moving one in front of the other until I began into a light sprint. The owl who had so sloppily delivered the letter flew at my heels, hooting happily. "I'll feed you later, ok?" It seemed to understand as it gave a small nod. I procured a paper and quill while running letting magic take its course. I spoke the words I wanted my father to hear and watched the quill scribbled in mid-air in hopes of jotting everything down. By the time I reached the owlery, I was out of breath, but my letter was finished, and I sealed it making sure to add the initials only my father knew me as. W.S. I was a huge Shakespeare fan, and my father knew that teased me a few times about it too, but no harm intended, he was a colossal bookworm, and frankly if he could marry the man, he probably would.

The week drifted by calmly, letters coming in with my replies going out. I had grown accustomed to the loud chatter in the great hall, tuning it out as I engrossed myself in novel after novel. Classes were long but bearable, and I was already used to Severus' snide and condescending berating. The way he always flourished his robes before making his grand escape. The unwelcoming coldness of the dungeons and my sleepless nights, I was thankful I was still young and could afford my lack of sleep. The other girls, however, not so much, not when they had to awake at two am to calm me down.

That being said, I had grown accustomed to the nightmares, screams did not wake me or the others. I awoke in a heap of sweat and discomfort, my heart racing and panicky, but I was alright. Small details like that filled my letters, letting my father know how my days went, and how Severus was doing, but it was hard to tell. He had been more withdrawn ever since the Dark Lord had called on him, and even glancing in my direction he rarely did so, the only times he did, was when I was not looking at him. And I had quickly learned that if I glanced back, Severus would avert his eyes, and wipe me off the face of the earth entirely, so I resorted to not glancing back ever. It seemed silly the amount of comfort it brought me merely knowing that he was at least looking in my direction. But then, the letters stopped coming abruptly, and that's when worry began to consume me.

I had hoped he was just at a loss of words, but that wasn't like my father. What if I got him caught, or worse...killed? The thought crossed my mind more than once, but there was only so much I could do from here. On top of that, I didn't even know where he was, and he proved to be real headstrong on the matter, his lips were sealed. Maybe the bird had gotten lost? But it knew its way here, dad's bird does not just get lost, perhaps it was captured, or shot and killed by poachers maybe, that was somewhat likely...I think? And all I knew was that he was northeast somewhere, and I could not reach him. It made me feel helpless knowing I was here in the safety and comfort of Hogwarts knowing every professor would risk their lives for one of their students, and I wanted to do the same, for my father. He was the only family I had left, one by one they all left, and I didn't want him to go, not yet.

My thoughts came to a halt as a presence loomed in the archway to the owlery. "Sev," I groaned.

"If you are so keen on calling me Sev, at least call me Severus."

"Why? I've always called you Sev haven't I?"

"Always does not apply to now," he sighed in frustration.

"Ok then, professor," I mocked with a small sneer.

"Detention tomorrow, be on time." I didn't have to argue or ask why. Giving him cheek and being out after hours.

"Do...Do you hate me?" I asked. He stopped, his composure slipping as he stiffened, a subject he was most uncomfortable with, beyond any other.

"For?" He inquired in a deep drawl.

"Everything," I whispered dragging my knees against my chest, my eyes focusing on the stone floor. Severus turned on his heels taking a good look at me and then sat down beside me, his legs parted and his arms resting on them, his cold gaze on the pale moon.

"If I were to hate you, you would know," he answered calmly with a dark and almost inaudible chuckle. It wasn't much of a reassuring answer, but it would have to do for now. I glanced at him, wondering what he was thinking, of me. The woman who had caused all his suffering, forcing him to serve those who had killed the only woman he had ever loved all because of my hesitation and cowardice. His large hand landed on my head, and he said nothing, I assumed he was trying to comfort me, but he did a terrible job of it as I burst into tears apologizing like a five-year-old. I...don't want to talk about it.


	4. IV - Esteemed Guests

After a full day of classes, I was exhausted, I just wanted to head to bed, but I was also famished. The food at Hogwarts was on par with the ones our cooks made, and it was mouthwatering, the same could not be said of the company, however. I was a Slytherin at heart, but even my own house disgusted me at times, a majority of the house wasn't that bad honestly. But a few bad apples are enough to rot the whole barrel, and in this case, it couldn't be more accurate, some even aspired on joining the death eaters after graduating. I did not speak up for my own well-being, but I felt sorry for those who felt the need to follow in their parent's footsteps, their expectations and reality were so disconnected, it made me bitter. They had no idea what the Dark Lord did to those under him, absolutely no idea.

My eyes shot up to the high table, exchanging glances with the headmaster as he tipped his goblet towards me, I nodded in acknowledgment and then looked to Sev, who was already staring at me intently, his brows furrowed in concern. I turned my head away avoiding his stare, it made me uncomfortable, especially since just days ago I had practically cried in his arms. I gulped down the pumpkin juice in my goblet and set the cup down watching it refill in a large orange swirl. At least this time though, I could, with confidence, say that I had not come crying on his shoulder, because of a boy. Truth be told, my taste in men was pretty shit based on my relationship history, it was not great. I was not even sure why I was thinking of this right now.

Midway through dinner, Dumbledore rose calling for attention, and the room grew silent as he cleared his throat. "As many of you may already be aware, this year Hogwarts has been given the privilege, no the honor of hosting the tri-wizard tournament." Ah yes, I heard it would be hosted this year, but it hadn't caught that much of my curiosity for me to investigate. "In regards to this, please welcome the young ladies of Beaubaxtons Academy of Magic!" The tall wooden double doors swung open, young women elegantly walking past, their blonde hair tied in a neat bun, their blue uniforms hugging their bodies.

I wasn't usually one to care, but wow, they were pretty, and it made me feel slightly self-conscious. After the Beaubaxtons walked through taking their seats, the school of Durmstrang followed. At the head, their headmaster Igor, his long white coat and signature wooden staff, tapping rhythmically against the stone tiles as he marched forward. His eyes met mine, and we stared at each other, long and hard until he finally averted his eyes as they trailed to Severus, the two staring at each other, sparks flying. Viktor Krum followed behind, close at his heels, his eyes met mine probably to see what had caught his headmaster's attention. He gave me a charming smile as he took off his coat throwing it at me as he took a running start with the rest of the men behind him, and off they were showing off in front of all the ladies, and guys I guess. Unfortunately for me, I caught his coat earning a few envious glares and grumbled under my breath, the last thing I needed was all this attention. I still had a hard time believing it was really Krum, I wouldn't say I was a die-hard fan, but you know, cool.

I couldn't deny, I was slightly flustered earning his full attention, he was not bad looking in the slightest, rather manly at that. But my mind couldn't help but wander to Igor by the way he had been looking at me, I had a good feeling he had some beef with me, and I was fully aware why. Wow, was I really that big of a bitch when I was 16? Probably yes. It was only then I caught Sev staring at me, glaring would be more accurate so I tilted my head, and he shook his head gently not wanting to attract attention. I tipped my goblet towards him, but the gesture was not reciprocated, so I looked away and set down the cup, another rejection. After Dumbledore welcomed the two schools the rest of the night was led by announcements and rules for those wishing to participate. I had no interest in doing so, and couldn't wait to go to bed.

Dinner finally came to an end, but I didn't want to get crushed by the masses of students exiting the great hall, so I waited sipping at the pumpkin juice in my goblet. I felt a presence at my side and glanced at the figure taking a seat beside me, my cheeks flushing pink from the attention. Play it cool Rynne. I smiled slightly and handed Krum his jacket back with a quick nod. "It's rude to throw clothes at people," I playfully scolded. To that, the young man raised his brow, it was probably the first time he had heard a girl tell him that, and his expression said it all.

"I will keep that in mind," he nodded politely gently throwing his folded coat on his shoulder as he sat down beside me. "So, what is your name?"

"And why would you need to know?" As much as I admired the man for his athletic prowess, I did not want friends, and I did not need to entangle myself in another relationship.

"I thought it looked rather self-evident," he chuckled, his subtle flirting not escaping me.

"Rynne," I answered politely, lying to him wouldn't get me anywhere, and I really just wanted to go back to my room.

"My friends and I were planning on hanging out, would you like to join us?" I frowned knowing that hanging out meant, booze and socializing which always led to sex, in some way or another, and amongst angsty teenagers, I would not recommend it. Been there, done that, not interested. At least students were preferable to death eaters, that was for sure. "There will be Beaubaxtons, and your comrades too," he assured reading my mind to the letter.

"It sounds lovely, really, but I have a paper due tomorrow-for potions- I would hate to get another detention," I grimaced, shooting Severus a nasty glare before quickly averting my eyes. "Maybe another time?"

"Fair enough," he hummed. "Would you like me to walk you back to your common room?"

"I would appreciate that, thank you," I smiled, I couldn't reject him twice, that would be mean, plus I didn't want to say I wasn't at least a little bit interested in him, best to keep it friendly. I felt a pair of eyes drilling into the back of my head, but I didn't dare look back. It turns out Viktor was quite a fun guy once you looked past his hard exterior, he was quite intimidating at first glance, but not a bad guy. We had quite a few things in common like the kind of music we liked, food, hobbies and so on. It didn't take long for me to connect to him, and I felt both relieved, but also scared knowing I had just allowed a sort of friendship to occur in the past ten minutes, that was a mistake on my part.

"Krum," a voice trailed off. Viktor's face turned stoic, and he turned around to greet his headmaster. Without a word, Viktor left my side heading in the opposite direction, and Igor shot me a stern glare. Once Viktor was out of sight, the bitter man took a threatening step forward, his lips twitching down into a scowl.

"You little snake, trying to coil around my champion, don't think I don't know what you're doing," he hissed thrusting his hand forward. It connected with my chest sending me crashing against the corridor wall.

"Don't be ridiculous, and he came to me," I spat pushing back. One could say I had betrayed this coward of a man, but to be fair, he had betrayed me first. He left me to die, bleeding out like some butchered pig, while hounds hunted me. He had the chance to save me, but like the coward he had always been, he abandoned me and saved his own ass. The only reason I lived was due to Severus finding me before the death eaters had. I managed to brush off the situation as a whole misunderstanding by throwing Igor under the bus, but the man left to die, I owed him nothing. Of course, I had sold him to the Dark Lord, so he despised me, but had he not left me, then Severus would have never found me, and the report would have never reached the Dark Lord's ear, so technically he was the prime mover. But a man like Igor would never assume the consequences of his actions, that was the just the kind of dog he was, and I held no regrets about that day.

"You little-" I cut him off.

"Are you threatening a student, you surely have no shame...I should have let them torture you," I whispered slowly letting the words echo in his ear. He took a step back slightly frightened, but the effect didn't last long as he scowled raising his hand in an attempt to frighten me, but before his hand could come down and deliver unwelcomed violence, Severus intervened. He grabbed Igor's arm pulling him away from me before pinning his arm behind his back.

"I hope you were not causing trouble for one of my students," Severus whispered, his voice laced with venom.

"Student? That little wh-Ah!" Igor shut his mouth as Severus twisted his arm mercilessly in a less than pleasant angle to look at.

"I don't remember asking for your opinion," he hissed finally letting go, the two began a slightly heated discussion, Igor starting it and Severus finishing it. I stood there silently watching the exchange in awe. Once Igor huffed and stalked off I looked at Snape with a tinge of admiration. "What?" He snapped seeming on edge.

"Thank you," I whispered. His glare softened, and he nodded. Severus and Igor had never seen eye to eye, they had always been at each other's throat, and the feeling of hate and fury was mutual, but if Snape could wish the man dead, he had probably done so already. His death was inevitable, he would be hunted down and killed like a mutt, as much as he blamed me, he had done this to himself, his desperation led to some questionable decisions, and every decision had consequences.

"Did he hurt you?" Sev asked, a dark look in his eyes.

"No, he couldn't even if he tried," I huffed sticking my chest out earning the ghost of a smirk from him. He flourished his robes motioning for me to follow and when I didn't, he glanced over his shoulder annoyed.

"Well we don't have all night, besides don't you have a paper to write for potions, Miss Salazar?" My cheeks flushed red, and I awkwardly stood there, my mouth slightly agape. Did he hear that? He had assigned work, just not a paper, and now I looked like a complete idiot.

"I don't know what you're talking about, professor," I replied. He averted his gaze walking me to the Slytherin common room. I thanked him, but he was already gone, and I stared at the darkness slightly baffled. Ok then.

The next morning, Viktor took a seat beside me, he had overdone his cologne in an attempt to woo me but alas it just earned a small cough from me. "You're only supposed to apply a small amount," I murmured clearing my throat. He sniffed himself and gave me a questioning glance.

"I think I smell fine," he said.

"I mean it's just a little overwhelming," I mumbled pinching my nose.

"But I do smell great, good, good," he smirked adjusting his clothes. His advances were rather cheesy and cute, but I had to be honest, he was still a charming man. I saw no harm in flirting back until he leaned in. I tensed up pressing a hand to his chest, he caught my worried expression and then pulled back. Clearing his throat, he stood up quickly but sat back down when a hand clamped on his shoulder forcing him back down. Viktor winced, and he looked up at the professor.

"Public display of affection should be kept...private," Sev hissed. Viktor's eyes twitched, and it was then that I noticed Sev's hand, his muscles tensing as he applied more pressure. Before I could say anything, he released Viktor and took a step back, a menacing glare having a little too much effect as Krum stood excusing himself. "I'll see you later, Rynne," he whispered, and I nodded absently.

Sev shot me a glare in turn before storming out of the Great Hall, his robes billowing after him. Sure, I have had some shitty relationships in my life, and after each breakup, Sev was my shoulder to cry on so to speak, well half-assed moral support. He wasn't really physical, and he had the emotional availability of a damn teaspoon. It was mostly me ranting while crying while he sat across from me drinking whiskey and nodding, never saying a word. Looking back on those times, god it probably looked really pathetic.

I sat beside Hagrid watching the students struggle to keep their books under control. "Hagrid have you ever been in love before?" I asked. He seemed surprised and let out an awkward chuckle, his cheeks reddening as he scratched his beard.

"Of course! Can't say it's always worked out, apart from..."

"Maxime?" I suggested with a sly grin remembering the two chatting eagerly just last night at dinner. He huffed and patted his chest shaking his head mustering himself not to blush. He cleared his throat and then finally spoke.

"You talkin' nonsense," he denied.

"Sure," I giggled.

"Ahem, why you askin'?"

"Well, I've been hitting it off with someone lately, and by lately I literally mean the past day or two, but you know it feels...nice. But Severus just swooped in and ruined the moment. Ok well he tried to kiss me, and I kinda pushed him away, so in a way, I made it awkward, but Sev was like the finishing blow," I sighed exasperated, and then my face reddened as I realized I had just rambled. God damn it.

"Someone's jealous," Hagrid said in his wisest voice. We exchanged glances raising eyebrows and then laughed, a good hearty chuckle.

"Snape, jealous, that's a good joke," I breathed trying to calm down. He nodded, but his eyes peered into mine with a sort of twinkle, deciding to ignore it, I refocused on the students.

"Sounds like a keeper," he cleared his throat presenting me with a devious smile.

"You too," I grinned, earning a small blush from him. For a half-giant he sure was a softy when it came to the matters of the heart, ugh did I just call it that? I guess I did. I wanted to say that Severus didn't even know what jealousy was, but I knew that wasn't true. He had a been a jealous teenager, but now he was an adult, unfeeling and cold, for the most part, I don't think he had still had such a thing as jealousy in his heart. We were okay-ish friends, but I doubt Sev was envious, well he was probably envious of many things, but I was definitely not one of them. I had fallen for Sev a few years ago, he was the only one in my life after all, but he had made it rather clear that it would never happen, so I pretended that day never happened and kept my feelings reserved until they were buried six feet under, and suffocated.

That's when I started dating men after men, I hoped to make him jealous, but in the end, I only made myself suffer, until I realized how childish I was being. He had seen every heartbreak, before his own eyes. Most of the men I had dated never gave me a clear reason as to why they broke up with me, they just upped and left after dumping me, I was never one to ask too many questions, so I let them go. And then I stopped altogether, keeping to myself, thinking back on those days, Severus never expressed his concerns, never once advised me against it, if he had been a jealous person, he would have stopped me, or at least that's what I thought.

As I walked mindlessly staring at the astronomy tower, a flushed first year came up to me her cheeks a deep shade of red as she struggled to get words flowing. "V-Viktor Krum asked me to tell you that he would be down by the lake waiting for y-you," she squealed probably trying to get over the fact that he had talked to her. I chuckled awkwardly and nodded thanking her. On my way down to the black lake, ignoring the jealous glares from fellow female hounds. I guess it would make sense for them to be jealous, he was how you say a well-rounded person, I suppose. Handsome, athletic, kind, charming, and a fun person to be around. Jealousy. My mind trailed back to breakfast, was Sev jealous, Hagrid had joked about the subject, and it was true, I didn't believe Sev could get jealous, not after what happened anyways. His heart would always belong to Lily, and I admired him for his dedication, but I couldn't help but be even the slightest bit hopeful.

My breath caught in my chest as I stared at Viktor, half-naked working out near the shore, ok so he had a very toned body on top of that, great. His eyes met mine, and he smiled finishing his last set of lunges as he jogged to me, beads of sweat running down his chest. Is it me or was life just tempting me today? "You're staring," he whispered with a coy smile, and I narrowed my eyes. "Well I have to resume my workout, we'll chat when I'm done."

I nodded watching him stalk back down to the shore of the black lake as he continued his workout. The sun had already set, and I sat on a tree trunk reading a book with the help of my wand. What a tease, bringing me all the way down here just to watch him work out, he was shameless, yet I didn't mind, I didn't have anything better to do. A shadow loomed over me, and I smiled at Viktor scooting over to make room for him. He sat beside me, his breaths ragged and his body sweaty. "Don't get too close, you're all sweaty," I grimace. He laughed extending his arms as the breeze blew into him.

"I don't know I might need a hug it's getting a bit chilly." I nodded with a sarcastic hum and then a gentle smile graced his lips. "So, tell me about yourself, Rynne," he leaned back resting the palms of his hands on the edge of the trunk.

"What would you like to know?" I asked. At that moment, it washed over me that this was not love, it was just an infatuation because I had been craving a relationship, a physical relationship that he could perhaps give me, but I couldn't be with him. My life was too fucked up at the moment, hell I was currently living a lie, and he'd be loving a lie. I couldn't do that to him. In the end, I gave rather vague answers except for when it came to my hobbies, I had always been open about those, and it would not change now.

"It's a bit chilly, and we should head back," I exhaled goosebumps running up my arms. Viktor nodded sliding his shirt back on now that he was no longer sweaty, he groaned cracking his neck. As we walked through the small patches of trees, Viktor grabbed my wrist turning me around. His gaze was full of lust, and a wave of anxiousness ran through me, he gently pushed me into a nearby tree, his figure looming over mine, his head pressing against the bark, his lips grazing my neck as he exhaled. I was at a loss of words until he finally trailed from my neck to my lips, a picture of Sev rushed through my mind and without thinking I shoved him away.

"No, Viktor," I breathed

"Playing hard to get? I enjoy a good challenge," he smiled his palms pressing against the bark trapping me between him and the tree. He didn't make an advance though, he just stared lovingly at me, and I bit my bottom lip.

"No I mean, I like you, but I don't love you," I whispered earning a small oh from him, his surprised expression then turned into a frown, and he leaned down, his lips meeting my forehead. In an instant, he was dragged away from me and sent tumbling into the piles of dead leaves. Severus stood there a menacing look in his eyes.

"Your headmaster is looking for you," Snape spat snapping for the boy to go, his temper hanging on a thin line. I finally came to my senses feeling my heart fluttering in my chest as Viktor got to his feet walking away quickly. "You should not be out after hours, especially with a man like that," he barked.

"A man like that?" I questioned relaxing against the bark.

"Yes, you're too young to be involving yourself with the likes of him," he sneered.

"Excuse me? I'm 22 for your information, and you're just bitter because Igor has his paws all over him!"

"So you can come running back to me, crying like a child?" I parted my lips to say something but quickly closed them before saying something I might regret. Beads of salty water began forming in my eyes and one rolled down my cheek, I took a deep, shaky breath and pulled away from the tree walking back towards the castle.

"Sometimes you're an ass, and I hope you know that!" I cried out. Seeing him take a step in my direction, I panicked and started into a mad dash towards my common room.

Some sentences probably sound funky...maybe, sorry about that still learning to English lol


	5. V - Mirror Mirror

Life had made a sudden flip, and it was by far one of the loneliest weeks of my life, and ever since that awkward little rejection, Viktor hadn't spoken to me. Well, we exchanged awkward greetings, but he was also busy, Igor had him training like a madman, as he would be adding his name to the goblet. Severus had been less than kind since the other night, everything I did in his class he nitpicked me for it, ridiculing me in front of the whole class. It was my high school nightmare all over again, and once more I thought about how I got entangled in this mess, but quickly realized I just had to suck it up. I was thankful for Remus, I never told him the specifics, but he sympathized offering me chocolate and a valiant effort at a therapy session.

At first, I fought back against Sev's condescending chiding, challenging him, but it didn't seem to do me any good from all the detentions I earned, with Filch may I add if he was too busy to entertain me himself. Eventually, he began taking points. I know crazy. I heard he rarely took points away from his own house, did he dislike me that much? The thought depressed me, the only friend I had ever really had now made my life a living hell, pretty scummy. It was even shittier that I had him twice a day, and then after dinner with all the detentions, I had racked up in a matter of a week or two.

Due to my quick fling with Viktor, I was not very popular amongst the female populace here at Hogwarts, and well when you're not liked, you're usually bullied. I didn't mind too much though, they were a lot less scary than death eaters, and I would take getting a bucket of water dumped on me rather than a crucio any day of the week. But it didn't stop me from feeling shitty over this string of misfortune, I felt so isolated and alone, avoided like the plague, and when I was noticed, nothing good followed.

Snape singled me out in the middle of class as my mind had trailed off again, idle thoughts running rampant. He asked me a question to which the answer I had no idea of, and took that chance to crush my spirit, and I just sat there taking it. I didn't have the energy to snap back at him, or a make a witty remark. I just felt empty. My lack of sleep and the depression that loomed over me hit hard, it was a challenge just getting out of bed in the morning, and I didn't feel like dealing with the world. He finally stopped noticing my lack of commentary, our eyes met, and my face remained the same, I didn't shy away, and neither did he. He resumed class probably wondering why my fiery temper had failed to take over and fight with him. I didn't feel like making a fool of myself or setting myself up just so he could humiliate me, I was exhausted, and at any moment I felt like I would crack.

I skipped dinner not feeling up to it, and I assume this is what some would call depression when you feel dead inside. I collapsed on my bed feeling pathetic that I was sulking over school. Muggle school wasn't much different from this, no matter where you are, there will always be bullies. I had yet to defend myself either, I was grateful that Albus had given me a haven, and I didn't want to make a fuss over petty little things. I had thought of just quitting packing my bags and leaving, forget any of this happened and start anew. It was silly of me to believe anything would change. I hadn't heard from my father in weeks, and admittedly, I was worried sick, but where would I go?

A knock came at my door, and my heart lurched as I considered all the horrid scenarios that could take place. I cracked the door open to see a small girl, she looked like a third or fourth year, her long dark hair falling to her lower back as it cascaded down her figure. "What?" I asked with a placid look. Her cheeks turned a light pink as she held out a tray with some food on it.

"I thought you could use the food," she mumbled. She didn't look like a bad person, but looks could be deceiving. I opened the door a bit more leaning against the door frame, narrowing my eyes at her.

"Alright, who sent you?" I asked with a sigh.

"N-no one sent me, I just..." She looked down, her lips quivering slightly.

"Took pity?" I asked with an unamused chuckle.

"A little, yes," she admitted. Well, at least she was honest.

"Thank you, then," I whispered grabbing the tray off of her.

"Oh thank god, it was getting a bit heavy," she giggled. I let out a small laugh, and she bid me goodnight stalking down the hall with a slight skip in her steps. I guess it wasn't all that bad. A simple visit had managed to cheer me up a great deal. Just to make sure, I inspected the platter of food, finding nothing wrong with it, so I dug in forgetting how hungry I was. I couldn't stand this cramped space anymore, so I threw on my cloak and left the castle not caring whether or not I would be out after hours. I headed the owlery, and the empty space brought a wave of disappointment over me. I tucked my hands in the pockets of my cloak and sighed heading to the edge of the forbidden forest.

"We can do it you know," I whispered to myself taking off my cloak. When I heard the fabric drop to the ground, I took a step forward, preparing to head into the woods when a hand grabbed mine pulling me back. I fell against a firm chest and looked up at Hagrid with a grim look.

"What in the bloody heck do ya think yar doing?" He shouted. I stumbled over my words unable to form complete sentences or even words for that matter, I pushed away from him, staring back puzzled at what I was doing myself. I wasn't thinking correctly, and part of me was glad Hagrid had stopped me, but the other half wanted to partially freeze to death in the forbidden forest until I got my act back together.

"What do we have here?" A velvety voice spoke, and I froze slowly looking up at Professor Snape. "Miss Salazar, not only have you failed to show up to your detention, but here you are wandering near the forbidden forest after hours," he drawled calmly, his wand making it hard for me to see his face, but I knew he was probably looking down on me. I clenched my fists biting at my bottom lip, the anger, sadness, and frustration slowly crumbling my resistance. The more he spoke, the more I could feel myself slowly slipping. I sighed finally losing it, a small chuckle escaping my lips.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. Severus finally grew silent, and his eyes fixated on me. "I can't. I can't do this anymore. Fuck me, fuck this, and most of all, fuck you." My voice didn't hold any contempt, just defeat, and I was, I was defeated. I picked up my cloak not bothering to look at both men as I wandered into the forbidden forest not even glancing behind my person. I could hear footsteps following me, but I didn't stop.

"Salazar, stop!" Snape barked.

"Shove off, professor!" He shouted at me to stop, doing a good job of keeping his distance because if he got too close, my wand might accidentally slip.

"Rynne!" He finally snapped. I stopped, glancing over my shoulder, his slightly reddened face a contortion between anger and worry. Before he could take another step forward, I took out my wand aiming at him.

"Back off Sev," I spat.

"Don't be ridiculous," he scoffed drawing his wand.

"Just leave me alone!" I sighed. "I just want to be left alone." I lowered my wand and looked up right in time to get thrown off my feet. I stared at him in shock as I was sent crashing into a nearby tree hitting my head, hard. I groaned, my vision blurry and my legs feeling like jello as I tried to get up, but only fell again. "I hate you," I cried out. He just nodded crouching down as he ran a hand through my hair.

"You can hate me all you want, but you will not be leaving," he drawled throwing me over his shoulder. I struggled to kick, but he ignored my futile attempts and dragged me back to the castle. As we passed the Slytherin common room, I suddenly felt panicked. He kicked the door to his classroom open and threw me down in one of the chairs, not so gently may I add. I winced and watched as he played with my wand setting in on his desk as he leaned back crossing his arms. He rubbed his temples letting out an exasperated sigh. "Is that it? A little bit of pressure and you suddenly crack?"

I sat speechless in my chair, feeling like a whiny child. This man had undergone so much in his life, and yet he stood before me, a strong and confident man who had remained by my side for the past eight years. I looked at him, his eyes softening as he read my expression and grumbled a few inaudible words. "Detention tomorrow after dinner, do not be late, you are dismissed," he said shooing me away with the back of his hand. I stood, but before leaving his classroom, I glanced back.

"You're not escorting me? What if I run, or something," I argued. He just raised an eyebrow ignoring me as he disappeared through a door to the back of his classroom. My lips twitched into a smile at his small gesture of trust, and it lifted my spirits tremendously. I snuck back into my room slipping beneath my blanket as I stared at the wall, and suddenly it hit me. I had a paper due for potions, and this time it was not some bullshit excuse. I spent a good three hours seated in the middle of the Slytherin common room scribbling down any word that would come to mind. Needless to say, I didn't get much sleep that night.

The next morning after breakfast, the girl from yesterday approached me, an expression of worry on her as she tried speaking to me. "Yes?" I asked calmly.

"You seem to be in a better mood," she said.

"Oh umm yes," I smiled, my eyes trailing to a scowling Severus as he talked to Minerva.

"I umm have been having some girl troubles lately and I don't really have anyone else to talk to," she mumbled.

"I don't think I'm the right person for advice," I chuckled.

"Not that kind of advice, I hear you're good at brewing potions," she whispered.

"And yet Snape despises me," I joked with a grin earning a small smile out of her.

"Well, I was hoping you could help me with my potion brewing," she whispered. I stopped her there.

"Sorry, but I'm already on Snape's bad side, stealing ingredients is a big no-no."

"No, I already have the potion brewed, I just need help you know judging, I don't want to lose all my hair somehow, thanks to a bad potion," she giggled.

During lunch I watched her sit up as she beckoned for me to follow and I bit into a piece of toast keeping it in my mouth as I stood. "We're going now?" I asked.

"Yes, we have a good ten minutes before classes resume," she winked. I nodded as we headed to the bathroom on the second floor and I groaned, knowing moaning myrtle would be there. Once in the bathroom, I realized too late that this was a trap as a girl blocked the entrance, three other girls coming out of hiding.

"Good job," one of the girls said patting the third year on the head. I sighed disappointedly in myself for being so naive.

Well, shit.

"What do you want?" I asked. One of the girls pursed her lips and stepped forward.

"Don't know what Krum saw in you, you're rather plain, and your sense of fashion is just a mess," she clicked her tongue. I was genuinely baffled by that insult considering we were all wearing a uniform. "And then once you have him, you throw him away like a mutt?" She cried out furious at my odd behavior.

"Are you finished?" I asked. The girl narrowed her eyes at me, and without warning slapped me. I stood there holding my cheek as the burning sensation seeped into my flesh. I kept strong remembering Severus' words. I had been through worst, and to crack under a series of unfortunate events was pathetic, and I would not let it happen again.

"Perhaps you should hold your bloody mouth, you bitch!" She screamed kicking me hard. I fell to my knees holding my stomach letting out a small grunt.

"Look at her, trying so hard not to cry," another girl said. I received another kick and sighed glancing at Myrtle who stood there with a frown but said nothing. I was a lot better at handling physical abuse than mental abuse, and I guess I had Tom to thank for that. The beatings continued for a good minute or two before they got bored from my lack of responsiveness switching their attention to my book bag. I sat up letting them rummage through it, they pulled out the rolls of parchment due today for Snape and laughed throwing them in the toilet, and if I had known, I wouldn't have bothered to write it. They snickered like a bunch of typical schoolgirls and threw the remains of my paper on the floor beside me. Not before splashing me with toilet water, fun times.

What bothered me though, was the looks of pity the girl who had brought me here offered, I didn't need her pity, and she was probably worse than those girls on her own. But once they left, I couldn't help but burst out laughing. "Why are you laughing," Myrtle asked rubbing her palms together.

"I don't know those girls reminded me of something funny." I stood up reaching for my wand realizing Snape still had it and sighed. I hadn't needed it today as classes mostly consisted of note taking and I sighed. Guess I'll have to dry myself manually. I spent a whole hour drying myself in the bathroom, with toilet paper, my cheeks red from all the slaps I received, and I could feel a few bruises forming.

"I've been through worse," I whispered to myself taking the time to calm my nerves. I left the bathroom heading towards the dungeons mentally beating myself up for not leaving earlier. I had an off hour after lunch, but that didn't excuse why I was five minutes late. I didn't want to walk to my room drenched in toilet water, imagine the name calling. Yeah, no thank you.

As I walked through the door running fingers through my messy hair, the whole class stared at me like some crazed beast while Sev glared at me. "Miss Salazar, why am I not surprised, by all means not showing up was also an option." I couldn't help but smirk lightly at his taunt. If this is his way of adapting, I would just have to play along. He took three large strides forward, towering over me. "Your paper," he demanded.

"I don't have it," I said plainly.

"Your excuse," he drawled, the class snickering but quickly quieted down as Snape shot them a silencing stare.

"I don't have one, my apologies. But if it makes you feel better, my owl ate it," he looked like he was about to snap until his brows furrowed examining me. His hand reached for my cheek until he suddenly realized he was standing in front of a body of students and his eyes turned fierce once more. Instead, he stopped midway snapping his fingers, a boy's textbook near the back row flipped to the correct page, and he sneered. What a smooth cover up, I had to hand it to him.

"Five points from Slytherin, and detention, now take your seat and begin work, Miss Salazar," he hissed, his venomous tone not nearly reaching his eyes. I took a seat and got to work brewing my potion, and I looked up at Sev deciding to inquire about my wand at a later time. I hope I didn't smell like toilet water, I had done the best that I could without my wand, at times like these wandless magic was a blessing, but it could only do so much. As I went to hand in my potion, a girl tripped me, and I gasped falling to the floor looking like some klutz out a darn movie, my vial shattering under my hand. Okay, not cool, not cool at all.

"Twenty-five points from Gryffindor," I froze for a moment my heart not quite ready to handle what was about to come my way. "I do not tolerate horseplay nor sabotage, Filch will be overseeing your detention for the next two weeks," he rebuked in a low and deadly tone rising as he sauntered over helping me to my feet. I stared at him caught off guard that for once he had defended me. He caught my stare and glared slightly, and I gave him the ghost of a nod looking down at my hands, a few shards of glass had made their way into my delicate flesh drawing blood, and I could hear his disapproving grunt. "Make that three weeks, class dismissed." Savage.

He led me to the hospital wing cautioning me not to drip blood everywhere like some Russian princess, and I kicked his leg making sure no one was around. "Don't be a jerk," I huffed. I expected him to snap at me, but he never did.

After depositing me in the hospital wing, he excused himself still having another class to teach, and I watched as Pomfrey made short work of my injuries, my hands wrapped in a lightly layered bandage. I thanked her, heading to my next class, after hearing about the three-week detention incident, let's just say no one had the courage to pick on me afraid they might earn the same punishment. Filch was an unpleasant man, so I don't know about others but three weeks with him, perhaps worse than hell, the man was a blood crazed lunatic he was.

After the rest of my classes, I ate dinner in the great hall for once enjoying the company of the food around me. Food is your best friend, it doesn't give you opinions, and it's always there to make you feel better. I was suddenly feeling a lot better about my detention and arrived on time waiting for him to put me to work, and put me to work he did. I sat on the cold stone floor scrubbing away at the cauldrons, feeling the soreness from the previous detentions seep back in. I gave up taking a small break and looking at Snape.

"I did not tell you to stop Miss Salazar."

"Oh come on, I made up for that damn vial twenty-five cauldrons ago."

"Who hurt you," he asked. I was taken back by the question momentarily before coming back to my senses.

"No one," I answered calmly deciding to continue scrubbing.

"Hmm, seems like you and Myrtle don't quite see eye to eye, then." I froze my eyes darting up to meet his as the scrubber slipped from my hand falling on my lap, my tongue clicking in disapproval.

"I..."

"Save it," he spoke, he was calm, his hand raised slightly forcing me to bite down on my bottom lip. "Bullying, however, is an issue that should be brought to my attention."

"I thought it was trivial," I whispered tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "Besides you do it too," I argued.

"I am the only one allowed to," he spat.

"You are such a-" I stopped myself blushing as his words finally processed through my mind. "Sorry." He nodded and tossed me my wand.

"You're dismissed." I quickly fled, my heart throbbing slightly, okay that was slightly awkward. At least I got my wand back, so that was good. I found myself wandering the caste when the staircase suddenly moved forcing me to cling to the railing letting out a small gasp. "Cool," I grumbled waiting for the staircase to rotate once more but after five minutes it didn't seem like it was going to move, so I sighed getting off and following the flickering candles along the corridor. Suddenly I heard a sneeze and the familiar murmur of an unpleasant squib. I dashed to the nearest door throwing it open and shutting the door as fast and quietly as I could.

I slid down the door tensing up as I heard a loud meow followed by a hiss. The doorknob rattled, and I hurriedly whipped out my wand locking the door. "A locked door?" Filch huffed in annoyance kicking the door. He mumbled something inaudible to my ears, and I sighed retreating from the door. The room was large, the moonlight filtering in from the bank of windows. I descended the small pair of stairs staring at the sole item sitting in the middle of the room, and I walked towards it, feeling drawn to it. I gripped the sheet covering the item and tugged it off as it revealed a mirror. I found myself staring at well me, but something seemed off, my hair was longer and my face holding a bit more joy, I then saw Severus looming behind me, his gaze soft and loving. I whipped around feeling my chest skip a beat, but he was not there. "Holy shit...jumpscare," I mumbled. I looked back in the mirror finding myself gazing back into Sev's eyes. He had never made such a face before, in the eight years that I'd known him. My heart fluttered, and I sat down in front of the mirror, an aura of calmness washing over me as drowsiness settled, slowly but surely.


	6. VI - Troll

A black mist enveloped me as I tried to walk, wrapping itself around my limbs, I struggled and tugged, hoping to break free but it was no use, I could not move. Voices whispered in the dark, laced with venom, but none I could comprehend, they overlapped each other, merely spiteful curses filtering through the air like music. The mist began to shift, time quickly ticking away as the world around me spun, the voices whispering loudly, drawing closer, echoing and pounding against the walls of my head. I closed my eyes, trying to drown them out, to close off my mind, but I could not dispel the voices, ringing back and forth mercilessly.

I struggled against the mist, kicking and screaming as I couldn't break free. Finally, the fog let me go, and I dropped into the void, darkness surrounding me as the mist vanished, leaving me to my own demise. Like a canvas being painted, my feet touched the ground covered in patches of grass, a scenery forming before me, as I looked upon the familiar house, my breath hitching in my throat. A cloaked figure walked through the darkness wand in hand as it approached the front door, unlocking it with ease, a faint glow emitting from afar. It took me a while to realize what was happening, but my body moved before my brain had the time to decipher the events taking place. "No Tom, stop!" I cried, my feet carrying me as fast as they could, but I didn't make it in time, my vision blinded by a gleaming green light. "Tom!"

Light filtered in through the bank of windows, much to my displeasure as I sat up running a hand through my untamed curls. I groaned staring blankly at the mirror before me, but oddly enough, it showed me only an exact reflection of myself. I shook my head, wiping the corrupted dream from my memory and rose to my feet opening the door absent-mindedly. I paused and stared at my hand, still resting on the handle of the open door, and I was certain I had locked it the night before, unless the charm wore off without my knowing, but as far as I was concerned, that's not how incantations worked. I caught Albus staring at me from the other side of the corridor, and my brows furrowed as I gently closed the door behind me.

By the way he was standing, I could tell the headmaster had been waiting for me, how long? I did not know, nor did I bother asking. "Wonderous artifact, is it not?" Albus inquired.

"The mirror, you mean?" I questioned back falling in step with the headmaster, toying with my hair, hoping it would magically fall back into place.

"The Mirror of Erised," he trailed off. "It reflects one's deepest desire." I hummed in acknowledgment, my mind trailing back to when I first saw Severus in that mirror. It didn't surprise me to find that I desired for my love to be returned, I knew my feelings for the cold, condescending man would never truly vanish, but I didn't mind. "Would you ever go back to wallow in those desires?" I thought about it for a split second and then shook my head.

"I'm a simple woman with simple desires," I chuckled. "I saw Severus in the mirror, but he was different, not in a bad way, but seeing him in a different light, it felt odd. And looking back to last night's events, I wouldn't want Severus to change." Albus gave me a satisfactory nod as he gently patted my shoulder, a twinkle in his eyes, and with a wave, he excused himself parting ways with me.

The bullying had come to a steady halt, except for the occasional bad comment, but life was getting a lot better. Once Igor freed Viktor from his leash, and after going over the boundaries I established, we became good friends. From time to time, we spent our evenings strolling around the castle, talking. Severus was not fond of Viktor and found every way to make him as uncomfortable as possible, but after a while, Viktor got used to it and became accustomed to Sev's frigid personality. At least once a week, I would question why Severus had to be so stuck up about Viktor, and every time, he would retort with the same excuse he gave me that night Viktor and I almost kissed, and frankly, it got on my nerves.

Speaking of the devil, Professor Snape emerged into the great hall, his robes billowing dramatically behind him as he made way for the high table. Our eyes interlocked and he sneered, tearing his gaze away from mine, a scowl on his face. I frowned staring at his back, watching his robes trail at his heels. Once seated at the high table, I quickly glanced back to my muggle novel and continued reading not wanting to be caught staring. I couldn't even be mad at Severus because he had always been cold, even when he considered me a close friend. And those were his words, I know it sounds crazy, but he called me a close friend...once...a few years back, after drinking too much.

"How do you do it?" Viktor asked, capturing my attention

"Huh?" I asked, tilting my head to the side.

"You're always reading or studying, how do you do it?" he asked genuinely curious.

"It's called having a good work ethic," I teased, slipping my index finger between the pages as I closed the book, gathering my belongings from the table as I sat up.

"Wha-I have a great work ethic," he stressed flexing in the process showing off as we exited the great hall.

"And academic wise?" I inquired watching his posture tense up as he cleared his throat. Then the corner of his lips twitched into a charming smile and tapped his index finger to his forehead.

"I have a good head on my shoulders," he said proudly sticking out his chest. I nodded knowing that to be true and offered a small smile as we arrived at the library taking a seat near the back, partially hidden from the crowd of students. Despite Viktor's admiration for sports, he spent a lot of time watching me read or study, and we made short conversations occasionally. This time, however, I was determined to tutor this young man to succeed, and we would be starting with his worst subject, potions. I know, ironic.

As Viktor's eyes scanned the textbook, he glanced up, a charming smile dancing on his lips as he looked my way. "You're going to have to try harder if you want to get out of here," I chuckled watching him growl under his breath as he stood up preparing to go return the potion textbooks to their original shelf. "So if you have time to hold a grudge, make yourself useful and go fetch the second edition."

"Yes, princess," he grunted with fake annoyance as he turned his back to me, heading off to scavenge the library, but the faint smirk on his lips told me he was slightly amused. I poured my attention back into the muggle novel I was reading and played with the edges of the page, haggling with danger as I was bound to give myself a papercut. However, the table shook, and a set of hands slammed against the hard wooden surface, and looking up I smiled at one of the girls who had ambushed me in the bathroom. I slipped my index finger between the pages and shut the book.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" I smiled sweetly, her face flushing red at my condescending gaze, I had learned from the best after all.

"Because of you, I've been spending the last two weeks, with Filch, do you know what that feels like?" she hissed, slamming her hands down on the table. She was attracting quite the attention considering we were in a library, but I did not care, she was free to cause a scene.

"Me? If I recall correctly, you made a rash decision, acted on it, and are now paying the consequences for your actions. And now you decide to bitch about your life to the one person who couldn't give a shit, so no I don't know what it feels like, but your suffering satisfies me," I hummed, my lips twitching into a cruel smile. She rose her hand, and I did not falter as it came down, the echo of flesh hitting flesh causing many gasps to erupt from the onlooking crow. My face turned to the side from the impact. I readjusted my jaw slightly keeping my calm as I shot her a defiant glare through my bangs, daring her to hit me again. She lost her nerves taking a step back as she glowered back at me, but her attempt was utterly pathetic.

"I should have drowned you," she spat, her voice laced with venom freezing as a shadow loomed over her. The girl had caused quite a scene, and all eyes were now on us. Of course, I hadn't lifted a finger, and I ran a hand through my hair readjusting my bangs as I stared at her blankly, my smile faltering. Endurance proves worthwhile when timed correctly.

"Leave," Viktor growled, his voice dangerously low as the girl shook in her boots, color draining from her face.

"B-But she-I...I didn't do anything, that slut is-"

"If I recall, you were happily spreading your legs for one of my friends just the other night," he spoke loud enough for the whole crowd of students to hear, embarrassment flushing the girl's face as she looked on in pure terror. "Get lost," Viktor finished coldly. Oof.

Once the library settled back down to its quiet nature, the onlookers resuming again to their previous activities, I set down my book, drumming my fingers against the wooden surface. "You didn't have to go that far, she looked on the verge of tears," I mumbled.

"What kind of friend would I be, if I let someone insult you?" He argued. "So don't give me that crap." My lips thinned into a straight line, and I pondered his words quickly before nodding, a small smile tugging at my lips.

"Thank you," I replied earnestly, knowing Severus would have done the same had anyone insulted me before him. He would have whipped them back into place without hesitation, that was just the kind of man he was. Viktor dropped back down in his chair, his eyes gliding across the pages of the textbook pretending to study, but I could see the fog in his eyes, his irritation as vivid as daylight. "Do you want to hang out tomorrow?"

"Like?" He asked, instantly perking up at the mention of us spending time together, his attention solely on me.

"Well, you're a good Quidditch player-"

"That is an understatement, darling," he corrected with a cocky grin as he stood firmly pounding his chest, and I rolled my eyes.

"We should race," I suggested, and his grin only widened as he nodded, and never had I seen the man look so confident in his life. One of his comrades interrupted us, as he delivered a message from Igor, and Viktor excused himself as I waved him off.

Later that day, I was ambushed by the twins, their ginger hair unmissable, but one seemed to have combed it to the left, and the other to the right. They both wrapped their arms around my shoulder and grinned from ear to ear. "How did it feel?" they asked in unison.

"Excuse me?" I asked pulling away quickly. "H-How did what feel?"

"Viktor standing up for you!" One of them said, the other quickly stepping in to finish.

"You know, a knight in shining armor-"

"Sworn shield, and fist of justice!" They both said together, clenching their fists aloft and I frowned.

"Umm, it was appreciated? I'm sorry what exactly-" I was cut off.

"So are you two lovers?" One of the twins grinned.

"No, we're just friends," I mumbled taking a step back.

"Right, in denial she is," the other one quipped.

"Indeed," the other twin nodded along. What the fuck is going on?

"So you're friends, good, good," one of them smirked patting my shoulder.

"Then we have a favor to-"

"Oh, uh, Viktor doesn't...umm...swing that way," I muttered under my breath and they both stared at me, equally shocked and then their heads quickly turned to each other, and they burst out laughing, hard.

"We just-"

"Wanted an autograph," they both laughed heartily shooting me a grateful smile. "But you're a funny one..." he trailed off having forgotten my name. I couldn't blame them we only had herbology together.

"Oh," I droned, blinking twice to make sure this was happening, and yes, yes it was. That, however, did not stop the blush from creeping up my cheeks and I cleared my throat staring the boys up and down. "Sure I can do that, and it's Rynne."

"You're the best Rynne!" They said in unison and spared no time unwrapping the scarves around their necks and tossing them in my arms. Sadly, I would not be seeing Viktor today, as when Igor called on him, he would be gone for the majority of the day. Seating myself in the great hall and listening to the chatter though, I was pleased to hear the rumors spreading quickly about the girl who had slapped me. Evidently, Snape did not look pleased, spite in those dark smoldering eyes of his, but the damage had already been done, and there was no need to add to the already blazing fire.

His eyes locked onto mine, and I tilted my eyes as he shook his head gently resuming his conversation with Albus. I didn't bother to keep my gaze on him as I knew he would not look back again. I hastily ate my food and rose to my feet making my way towards my common room. I closed my eyes running a hand through my locks as I indulged in the silence. Once I opened my eyes, however, I was immediately met by darkness as I collided hard with the person's chest and groaned taking a step back holding my nose. Severus Snape, of course.

"What?" I asked a little annoyed, knowing he had still been seated at the high table when I left the great hall.

"Detention," drawled Snape as he passed me, our arms grazing.

"What, why?"

"Watch were you walk, Salazar," he hissed, and I frowned restraining myself from possibly hurting the man. I stood there gaping at him like an idiot until he vanished down the corridor. Did I miss the memo where he would purposefully ambush me and then slap a detention on my sorry ass? Was I missing something? I had just caught up with all my detentions too, and I was looking forward to riding with Viktor. My blood boiled, and I threw my middle finger at the empty hall knowing Severus was already gone, but it made me feel slightly better.

Viktor was in the great hall for breakfast, and I took a seat beside him at the Slytherin table and helped myself to some eggs, grumpily eating. "Wow you look gloomy," he noted, and I shot the charming man a withering glare.

"I will bite you," I hissed. Viktor's grin only widened, probably to tell me a witty remark but he settled to inquire about my morning, and I silently praised him for making the right choice.

"Are you okay?"

"Peachy, I know we were gonna ride after dinner, but someone," I hissed glancing to Snape. "Gave me an undeserved detention yesterday."

"That's fine we can ride during your off period, I've got nothing better to do anyway," he smirked. Ah, that reminded me, the scarves. I dug in the inner compartment of my robes and pulled out two miniscule scarves, snapping my fingers as they regrew to their original size. I asked Viktor to sign them, which he did without question while I mentally scolded myself at the casual show of power, but no one seemed to have noticed, except for the one and only Professor Snape, great.

"I'll see you later," I mumbled rising from my seat as I took my leave, scarves in hand. The twins were not seated in their usual spot at the Gryffindor table, so I assumed I would run into them in the halls. They were probably planning a prank of some sort, and I would feel for the person caught in their trap. I had left the great hall early as not to get caught in student traffic, but a pair of combat boots squeaked not too far behind me, and I hugged the scarves to my chest, hastening my footsteps, but I could hear the steps drawing closer.

It was ridiculous of me to think I could outwalk Severus, his legs covering more ground than I could in two steps. He caught up in no time and set his hand on my shoulder turning me around, his dark eyes boring into mine, hell he didn't even have to speak, I could read his eyes, lunacy written all over them. I smiled deciding to act casual and took a respectful step back as his hand left my shoulder. "Goodmorning Professor-"

"It might have slipped your mind, Salazar," he drawled out my name with a small hiss, his eyes turning icy. "Have you forgotten, or are you just-" A large bulk of slime dropped down on my head, and I froze, my eyes widening as Severus looked on in vivid rage at the twins standing together at the end of the corridor. Severus was the first to react as he pulled me into him, draping his robes hastily around me as they took an extent of the onslaught. Slime poured down on us relentlessly, as Severus held me close, but that didn't stop the slime from reaching me. My lips curled in a disgusted scowl as I took a step back feeling the goop drip from my hair and clothes.

"Ugh," I whined looking up to Severus, my disgust quickly fading as I tried my hardest not to laugh.

"Don't you dare," he barked, and I nodded thinning my lips together, trying to hide my smile, but I was failing miserably.

"Weasleys!" he shouted, his voice laced with animosity, and suddenly I feared for the twins. Sev glanced back at me quickly, and with a low growl he flicked a piece of goo off my bangs and went after the twins. I finally burst out laughing as he turned the corner and wiped my face with the sleeve of my robes setting the scarves down in the goo, the twins would figure it out. I stepped out of the goo carefully and headed back to my room to change.

Hagrid forgave my late arrival, the news of this morning's prank spreading like wildfire and a particular someone, was in a less than pleasant mood today as he subtracted points from his own house. During herbology, the twins thanked me for getting Viktor to sign their scarves and also apologized for this mornings incident, but I didn't mind it too much. They got me out of a sticky situation, no pun intended, I would have never heard the end it from Severus. However, I frowned when they planned yet another prank, one that did not involve me. In that regard, I was on my best behavior during Alchemy, and I was thankful, I didn't get another detention for merely breathing.

Once lunch came, Viktor and I took a quick bite to eat before leaving in turn meeting outside near the Whomping Willow. Broomstick in hand, Viktor was ready to roll, and after some petty taunts, we were off racing each other around the castle, we agreed underhanded tactics were allowed, and when I kicked his broom to the side, the real challenge began. He kicked my broom back, and I lost control smacking into the castle wall. It was a sloppy recovery, but I managed it somehow. I sped after Viktor ducking under the bridge, as I beat him to our makeshift finish line. He called it beginner's luck, but he had obviously let me win.

Despite coming close to death a few times, it was the most fun I had ever had, but McGonagall did not reciprocate my feelings as she assigned me a detention of her own, but Viktor knew better than to apologize because it was worth it. Even though Viktor was younger than I, he felt like the older brother I never had, and spending time with him was an absolute blast. I left dinner early, knowing that the tall, brooding man would be in his classroom as he failed to appear at the high table. Finding myself at Severus' door, I knocked softly hearing a muffled answer from the other side. I entered glancing at Severus, my jaw dropping slightly, it was a rarity to see him without his robes on, and dare I say, he looked very handsome with his hair tied back. "You're early," he noted giving me a side glance, as he stepped back from the cauldron.

"I'm not really hungry, plus I'm sure you have better things to do. Dinner just started too, are you not going to go?"

"And leave you unsupervised?" He drawled, raising a condescending brow.

"I'm not a child, and you can even take my wand with you," I smiled holding my wand aloft, rocking it back and forth slowly.

"It wouldn't be much of a detention," he mused snatching my wand as he tucked it in the inner compartment of his robes. "Take off your robes," he ordered. My mind immediately went into the gutter, and I almost cheered until I remembered the cauldron and scolded myself for imagining the best scenario. I took off my robes, rolling up my sleeves reading the parchment sitting on his desk, a self-made list of instructions.

"Wolfbane?"

"Yes for our mutual friend," He spat in a bitter tone, and I rolled my eyes getting to work. I was excited to brew a potion alongside the master himself. Sadly, all I did was fetch ingredients or stir while Severus worked on the next batch. I was effectively a tool which he was using strategically to get his brewing done in a reasonable amount of time. A typical Severus thing to do. "You're stirring too fast," he scolded, looming over me, his arms reaching around me, and I held my breath, but his hand only wrapped around mine, his other hand resting on the table as he steading my pace, before returning to his work. I cursed silently under my breath shaking my head hoping he couldn't see my heating cheeks.

Once I finished stirring, I let the brew simmer glancing at Severus, his brows furrowed as he crushed the ingredients with careful ease. "Is there anything else I can do?"

"I need more aconite," he muttered under his breath, throwing a glance my way and I nodded heading to the storage room. I was glad to find all the ingredients sorted alphabetically and grabbed the ladder climbing to the last shelf, reading the labels diligently. Severus would be crazy to leave it on the lower shelves, and I did not blame him for being cautious. Especially with students who had a particular skill in sleight of hands. I found the aconite and smiled grabbing it when a masked face shot out at me, and I gasped taking a step back and realized too late I was on a ladder. I squealed reaching for the shelf, but it gave out, and vials leisurely shattered around me as I fell to the floor, the ladder following suit. My heart shattered like the vials as Severus rushed in, concern etched on his face.

"I'm sorry!" I squeaked flinching as he shot me a glare, and my heart froze.

"Don't move," he ordered, whipping out his wand, the shattered vials cleaning themselves up. He let out a loud audible growl as she ripped the face from the shelf of ingredients, practically fuming with rage. I helped myself up and patted down my skirt staring at my hands, my body feeling tingly from all the unknown brews that had come into contact with my skin. I excused myself in a hurry with a sudden need to puke and dashed to the bathroom, throwing the toilet stall open as I hurled in the toilet gripping the edge of the bowl. I groaned thinning my lips as another wave of vomit surged from the depths of my stomach. That was it, Fred and George were officially grounded from throwing any pranks. I flushed the toilet wiping my mouth with toilet paper and sighed closing the lid as I sat on the toilet contemplating today.

The floor shook, and I grabbed the edge of the lid, wondering if I had inhaled any toxic fumes from the smashed vials. It was very likely, but as I opened the stall door, bulky green legs met my eyes, and I looked up timidly at the fully grown troll before me. The world was a cruel mistress today. I sucked in a breath, holding it in as adrenaline and fear pumped through my veins, and automatically I reached for my wand but felt nothing. I cursed under my breath, remembering the wand I had so gingerly given away. I shut the door quickly, foolish enough to think it would do something. His club swung through the air, my screams echoing off the bathroom walls, as he ripped the top half of the stalls. I quickly dropped to my knees crawling to the next stall, the troll's club smashing the stall I had previously been into pieces. The sleeve of my dress shirt got caught in the debris, and I tugged with all my force ripping my sleeve as I rolled away just barely avoiding the club.

"Shit, shit, shit!" I cursed taking a short, shaky breath crawling out from underneath the stalls and into the center of the lavatory. I had a dash of optimism as I stared at archway leading out into the dungeons and I ran for it, but the troll blocked me. His foot gently kicking me as I was sent sliding back until I hit the wall with force, coming to an unpleasant stop, air rushing from my lungs. If the troll had actually kicked me, I would have broken more than a few ribs, that was for sure. I bit my bottom lip crawling to the sinks, I had a makeshift plan in mind, but it was still terrifying to watch a creature more than twice my size swing a club that could scatter my brains in an instant, and a scream escaped my lips as I shielded myself, vitreous china flying in every direction.

Water rushed out of the broken sink pooling onto the tiled floor, making it all the more slippery. I had cut myself on a few shards of china, and I grimaced quickly crawling from underneath the sinks, grabbing a piece of broken china, and charging at the troll. I dug the piece of china in its leg, cutting my hand in the process, but I was silly to think a shard of vitreous china would damage the troll, and I paid for my mistake as the troll kicked me away again, knocking me back into the sinks. I hit my head against the wall and collapsed onto my side seeing double as the world spun around me. The troll raised its club, and I gasped shielding my face as a whimper escaped my lips waiting for my gruesome death. Was this really how I would die? A tear slipped down my cheek, and I silently prayed that my death would be relatively painless.

Severus' voice boomed through the bathroom, his loud and commanding voice bouncing off the walls as the troll flew through the lavatory, smacking into the wall hard, its body falling limp leaving a significant imprint on the wall. I stood up clinging onto the broken sink, shaking slightly and looked to Severus, never had I been so glad to see him. I took a few too many hasty steps forward as I lost my balance, Sev catching me in his arms as he lowered me to the floor. I clung to him for dear life, wrapping my arms around his neck as I buried my head in the crook of his neck, my breaths ragged and uneven as I tried to calm myself.

I let out a choked sob, realizing I was wet, covered in dust and blood causing me to pull away. "Shit sorry, I got blood on your clothes," I mumbled staring at the open cuts on my hand. Severus took my hand in his interlocking our fingers, his face stoic as ever as he pulled me into him, sweeping me off my feet and I gasped. "What are you doing?"

"I'm taking you to the hospital wing, I wouldn't want to be held responsible for cleaning up your sloppy remains," he muttered.

"You're an ass, put me down!" I struggled in his hold, accidentally hitting his chin in the process. I was met with a dangerously low growl, and after that, I grew silent tucking my hands between my legs as he carried me in tense silence. It wasn't a long walk to the hospital wing, but I was exhausted, physically and mentally, and Sev's warmth did not help whatsoever as I was slowly lulled into slumber. That was until I was dropped on a hospital bed and winced letting out a pained groan. This man, was the furthest thing from a gentleman, honestly.

"Oh dear," Pomfrey gasped rushing to my side. However, a melodramatic voice erupted through the hospital wing, and I glanced at the blond-haired man, dramatically sweeping a hand across his forehead.

"Oh the pain," Gilderoy whined, and my jaw dropped as I stared at the man.

"Oh for the love of-you can go already, Gilderoy," Pomfrey scolded, The man grunted out a response and looked at me, a charming smile filled to the brim with guilt as he backed away towards the door. My original question was how a troll got into the castle in the first place, but my question was answered as Severus closed the space between the two, grabbing Lockhart by his collar.

"You swine," the potion's master hissed. "I should hex you where you stand, or let the dementors have at you, I hear their kiss is nearly unbearable to witness, but I'll do my best."

"Severus," poppy breathed, resting a hand on his shoulder. That simple action caused him to let go, but not before shoving the blond to the floor, his rage lingering as he balled his fists.

"Get. Out." Without a second to lose, Gilderoy rose to his feet making a hasty retreat before flying out of the doors, with full speed. With attention now back on me, I glanced at Severus, his gaze softening once his eyes met mine and he sneered at my disheveled state. I would have smiled at his typical behavior, but I couldn't as Pomfrey drowned me with vials, forcing the contents down my throat. Lockhart served as Remus' replacement when he could not afford to teach due to his...predicament. I was not fond of the man, nor was anyone really except for the fangirling teenagers who revered him as a god. I was just thankful my detentions were spent with Severus instead of Gilderoy, helping him sign his autographs.

Poppy held up another vial, and I cringed shaking my head. "Please...no more," I pleaded with the woman rolling over and giving her my best puppy eyes. "They all taste so disgusting."

"Last one deary, come now, open up," she insisted, bringing the vial closer, and if I had enough strength, I would have slapped it out of her hands. I was thankful when a first year came in sobbing dramatically, and poppy rolled her eyes as she pulled away eyeing me carefully, telling me this wasn't over.

"It's fine, Poppy. Let me handle this," Croaked Sev, taking hold of the vial as he took a seat on the edge of my bed, the mattress shifting under his weight. He had a loose grip on the vial, gently rocking it between his fingers, the uninviting liquid pressing against the edges of the glass container. His stern eyes bore into mine, dark and demanding obedience as he inched the vial closer to my lips. No words needed to be exchanged as I downed the vial, my eyes twitching from the horrid aftertaste. I covered my mouth thinking of happy thought before the contents of my stomach could escape me.

"You're all...evil," I breathed falling into the lone pillow, my aching body sinking into the mattress.

"I've been meaning to ask, how would you like to join the Quidditch team?" I perked up and rose a brow at him, slightly awed by his odd request.

"C-Can I?" I asked bewildered, a small smile gracing my lips.

"You displayed an impressive set of skills with Krum, or so Minerva told me, although I suppose now isn't the t-"

"I won't disappoint you," I blurted, squeezing his hand with all my remaining strength. He nodded seemingly annoyed as he ripped his hand away from mine, a dull silence overcoming us. And I closed my eyes, feeling his presence still lingering by the side of the bed. "I'm tired."

"You were given a sleeping draught," he informed, his hand brushed my neck, and my eyes shot open as I stared at him, my surprise turned to a frown.

"What are you doing?" I droned reaching for his arm.

"Your locket," he whispered, I did remember entrusting the locket to him on that fateful night, but he was meant to keep it, not me. If something happened, Severus would be the last man standing, I was sure of that, but my attempts proved futile as my body no longer listened to me.

"No, keep it," I argued, but my pleas fell on deaf ears as the locket clicked into place, and he placed my wand on the nightstand, his hands covering my face as he closed my eyes. "Severus," I whispered softly reaching for his hand in the darkness, but I never reached it, and I gave up letting my hand fall, but just as it was about to hit the sheets, he took hold of my hand, his large one engulfing mine as he squeezed gently, our finger intertwining. I love you.

 **Hope you enjoyed!**


	7. VII - Quidditch

I was in a rather bitter mood as I sipped at my pumpkin juice, my eyes darkening as I read through the daily prophet, the image of Bella struggling against her chains screaming at the top of her lungs, a face I had not wanted to see ever again, but luck be damned. I had never considered Hogwarts my home, but I could not deny the homey vibes it gave off, it was comforting, and in a way, I felt like I belonged, and it was a good feeling. However, everything felt dull and gloomy, the castle colder than usual, and candles flickering as if on the verge of extinction, probably due to the hundreds of dementors patrolling just outside the school boundaries. I was not thrilled, but the Ministry of Magic made it clear that the headmaster had little say in the matter, despite his influence in the wizarding world.

Ever since the mass breakout from Azkaban, Severus had been called twice, his mark burning feverishly as he was forced to leave the high table. Albus surprisingly took over his class for the remainder of the day, much to the student's satisfaction. It was rare for Severus ever to take a day off, which had the students spreading rumors, and Dumbledore always dismissed them as Hogwarts business. I could not blame the headmaster, Severus was already disliked by the student population, but the fact that he remained a death eater dwelled amongst the ranking officials of the ministry. I was visibly concerned, it was rare for the Dark Lord to call upon his followers during the hours of daylight, it was just not a Tom thing to do, which meant that whatever he was planning, it was urgent and urgent was never good.

I had not been myself for the entirety of the day, stress, worry, and longing had been eating up at me. Severus and I had been on good terms lately, and I mean really good terms, the thought of losing him now mentally and physically broke me. I did not want to be alone; he was all I had left. All it took was the slightest slip-up, and Severus would be tortured until he could no longer beg for death, or simply killed his body disposed of in a timely fashion. It didn't matter how close one was to the Dark Lord, we were all disposable, in his eyes. I couldn't rid myself of Severus' image, just yesterday, he had smiled, it was brief, and a little awkward, but he actually smiled, a genuine smile meant only for me. It was also unnerving knowing he had this much control over me, simply by not being here, as crazy as that sounded. I grew up with the reality that losing someone was no big deal, people came and went, and it was something I had to grow accustomed to, but to have it be Severus, I couldn't fathom the thought.

As darkness engulfed the world, I waited by the black lake, letting the giant squid rest a tentacle on my lap as I gently tickled it. It hardly eased my nerves, watching dementors circle the castle in chaotic disorder, quite daunting really. However, my patronus was powerful enough to ward off every dementor in my general area, but that didn't matter. No, I was waiting for Severus, for him to return, to see him in one piece with my own eyes. I was used to Severus working as a spy, it's who he had grown up to be, an impeccable man, able to act out in the best and worst of times, and lately the Dark Lord had been cracking down hard since his return.

I glanced over my shoulder as Remus made his way through the woods, not so quietly. And without thinking I glanced back to the hidden moon, the peak emerging from the clouds and I calmed knowing tonight was not a full moon. He did not look offended and took a seat next to me offering me a bar of chocolate, and I gladly took it, taking the time to unwrap it neatly. "I usually transform near the shrieking shack, you have nothing to fear," he assured, his eyes gazing across the dark waters, the moon's reflection failing to mirror on its surface. I nodded slowly, not wanting my words to come out as insensitive, so I kept my mouth shut, brooding silently.

"He'll be back, and I doubt the 'bravest man you've ever known' would accept death so willingly, especially when he has something-no someone to live for," Remus chuckled, his voice softer than usual. And I glanced at him, slightly stunned.

"Huh? I guess I do call him that often," I mumbled. "It's my best character descriptor, what I find endearing about him, most see as wretched and contemptible."

"That is who he is trying to be, a wretched and contemptible man, I've known him far longer than you ever have, Rynne. But in the end, you're the only one who has ever remained by his side. I think he appreciates you far more than you could imagine," he chided, my self-doubt somehow dissipating altogether.

"An apple for an apple," I mused hugging my knees to my chest. I wouldn't call it repaying a favor, but Severus had always been there for me, so why shouldn't I be there for him when he needs me. _Because he wouldn't have needed you had you not killed the woman he loved_. I shook my head quickly. I didn't kill her, I couldn't have known, I didn't know, _he_ read me inside and out, violated my mind, until he found what he was looking for, there was nothing I could do. My vile thoughts were interrupted as a loud crackle echoed through the night air, and my breath left me as I leaped to my feet lunging at Severus, ignoring his attempts to pry me off of him. He eventually gave in resting an idle hand on top of my head, his eyes burning daggers at the man mulling over his condition over a bar of chocolate.

Like a lit candle, I was back to normal the next day, blazing with cheerfulness, knowing Severus had made it back safely. Too many horrid memories haunted me, watching victims of Tom's vicious games get mauled alive on the Malfoy's dining table, blood spilling to the floor for the elves to clean up later. Tom would always take satisfaction in soaking his feet with their blood, pacing around the dining table, blood trailing behind him as his robes took the liberty of 'cleaning' the marble tiles. That memory, however, would not ruin my good day because I had some time to make up with Severus.

I knocked on the potion classroom's door and entered as a muffled command was given to come in. Severus looked exhausted, and I grinned taking a seat across from him. "Need a help, friendo?" What I forgot to mention was that brief smile happened to be accompanied by a rare set of words I had only heard twice now in my life, the word friend, echoed back and forth in my head, like a prayer.

"For the last time Salazar, we are not friends," he hissed. "Merely acquaintances."

"He says clearly in denial," I joked, and his glare met mine, but there was a hint of amusement in his hues, it was faint, but in contrast to his usual glares, it was unmistakable. I wasn't the best student when it came to academics, but I got by relatively well, and considering I wasn't actually a student, I helped Severus grade papers. He wouldn't in seven lifetimes let me grade an essay, but he allowed me to grade regular papers, the answer sheet to my left, so I could double check my work. That being said, he rolled up the parchment he was currently reading and hit the back of my head without a care in the world. My lips curled into a small scowl, pouting at his unnecessary actions, but his scowl overpowered mine as he spoke.

"Do not puff your cheeks at me," he warned.

"Make me!" I challenged childishly rising to my feet but held no regrets as he slammed the palm of his hands against the surface of his desk, rising to tower over me. Our face-off was interrupted as Albus cleared his throat, our glares both directed at him now, the mirth in his eyes gleaming with excitement. Severus cleared his throat as he composed himself standing upright with every inch of pride and dignity he could muster after his outburst.

"I see you two are getting along well," the headmaster chuckled, earning an animal like growl from the brooding man beside me.

"He's just in denial," I teased with a cheshire grin, throwing him a playful glare.

"Ah, Severus, that will do no good," the headmaster said.

"Yeah, Severus." He glared at me, his icy demeanor returning to him as he warned me not to egg him on, but like a fool, I didn't heed his warning. Once the headmaster took his leave, Severus stepped around his desk, the contorted look in his eyes telling me nothing good would follow and I squeaked running for the door, but it slammed shut before me with a lazy wave from the dungeon bat. The familiar click of the lock reached my ears, and I felt both fear and excitement hit me in a blaze of desire. I backed up against the door and smiled innocently. "I was just joking you know that right?"

"I'm sure the cauldrons will think so too," he drawled, and my face dropped, the nonexistent soreness creeping back up my arms from all of my previous detentions.

"But I have quidditch tonight," I whined.

"Loss of limb will not excuse you, Salazar," he warned, and I frowned at his teacher tone, he was back to the normal Severus once more. "On that note, do try not to die, it would be unfortunate to scrub your remains off the pitch."

"You're supposed to say something positive and encouraging," I mumbled, the image causing a little too much discomfort in the back of my mind.

"Break a leg," he said sarcastically, and somehow I couldn't help but think he meant it literally and scoffed as I unlocked the door excusing myself, making sure to throw a withering glare his way as I left the room. Ass.

I spent the rest of the day with Viktor as he showed me the ropes to Quidditch, he perhaps wasn't the best at academics, but his knowledge of Quidditch was enough to last me a lifetime. As expected from the best seeker in the world, I suppose he didn't quite need his academics to succeed when he was already doing well for himself. And if he won the Triwizard tournament, all the better. I was convinced he would be picked, Igor would have it no other way, he would find a way to rig that cup one way or another. Since the troll attack, people made a rapid recovery and hopped on the bandwagon as quickly as they could, especially the girls once they realized that I was not lusting after Viktor and our friendship had been made very clear.

I was also relieved to hear a girl in Gryffindor had caught his attention, he wouldn't tell me, but I didn't press him, because the truth is, I wasn't all that curious. I wasn't new to quidditch by any means, so the Slytherin captain did not bother to test my skills, asserting his confidence that I could do my job just fine. Which would be insulting if he had done differently, considering a majority of the Slytherin Quidditch team had bought their way in, so he had no room to talk when it came to talent. Still, though, he was nice, despite what others thought of Slytherin, they were more than willing to help their own. On my way to the great hall, I was ambushed by the twins, all hopes of eating a good meal before my game vanishing in thin air as they ushered me into an empty broom closet.

"It's a bit small in here," I complained, our bodies smothered together as I heard the two chuckle.

"Hush," they instructed, Fred reaching into his robes as he pulled out a girly looking stick, a flower on the end of the transparent rubber tube. It was thin, and as Fred held it, the transparent object slowly turned green.

"What is that?" I asked, but shut my lips as they both gave me a stern look, and let them continue.

"That," Fred began.

"Is the start of a beautiful adventure!" George finished.

"All you have to do, Rynne, is find Snape, and just find a way to slip it in his robes, got it?"

"Umm no, remember what happened last time? Exactly." I groaned. They both gave me a pitiful face, and I let out another groan. "Fine, what do you mean by slip it in his robes?"

"Just stick it on him-"

"Literally anywhere, and the rest will work itself out," Fred grinned.

"And what then?" I asked.

"Watch the magic happen," they snickered slinging their arms around my shoulders. Fred tapped his wrist, and George nodded as they counted to three and then shoved me into the door, but instead of smacking into it, I went through and gasped crashing into Severus. His reaction time was a bit too quick as he took a hasty step back, slipping on his robes losing his balance, and mixed with my weight, the momentum was already in play. He didn't even try to break his fall, he just held onto me like a lifejacket, and groaned upon impact. All the students walking past in that instance froze, their eyes trained on Severus as I made haste to scurry off of him, his face practically fuming.

"Weasleys!" he shouted, his anger boiling over as he rose to his feet, throwing open the broom closet door, but it was empty, and he let out a vicious snarl, glaring back at me. I took a step back slightly frightened, my life flashing before my eyes, as his eyes met mine, hell had frozen over.

"Are you okay?" I managed to breathe out shakily, my fingers tightening around the rubber stick. Severus ignored my question as he grabbed my wrist observing as color soaked into the rubber, turning from a light grey to an abyss black, and I gulped.

"What is it?" he barked snatching the curious artifact from my hand.

"I-I don't know," I blurted offering no resistance to his mercurial temperament. It was terrifying watching his mood switch, and I was thankful he had such a tight grip on his emotions. The students knew him to be a tyrant, full of bitterness, dishing out his anger in every way he saw fit, but they did not know Severus well enough. His emotions had never spun out of control, except for the night Lily died, I was 12 at the time, and I didn't know better, but I knew enough to stop him from spinning out of control, facing off against the Dark Lord would have only sent him to an early grave. As much as Tom was fond of me back then, taking the time to educate me as the heir of Slytherin, he had thin skin and no patience for disobedience or failure. Seeing the reason in my words, he bottled up his emotions, but Severus had never forgotten, nor would he ever forgive.

"How convenient," he scoffed, and I shook my head, the thoughts dissipating. I couldn't quite place my finger on it, but I was distraught how often I thought of Severus, no not Severus, but the past, things I had buried in the back of my mind slowly making their way back. I didn't want to be that person, one who constantly dwelled on memories, always looking over my shoulder at what could have been. Self-loathing had never been my forte anyway. I didn't realize I had been staring at him and let out a shaky breath I didn't know I had been holding. His eyes softened slightly as the dark abyss contained in the rubber tube swirled, hints of blue, but I could not tell which shade as he snapped the artifact in half, all color draining from its features, much like my face.

"Excuse me," I mumbled, feeling a rush of anxiety and I escaped to the great hall taking a seat amongst my peers, despite the table being slightly crowded, I could breathe again, my appetite gone. Noticing I had not touched my plate yet, a Slytherin girl pointed out my paling face, and my breath caught as I looked up to meet her eyes. I patted my cheeks, earning a few curious glances but ignored them as I got my act back together, I shouldn't let memories affect me this much, it's bad to dwell on the past, I thought to myself. I looked to the sky of the great hall, dark and brooding, thunder on its way and I sighed running a hand through my hair. I'll just blame it on the dementors, their mere presence causing uneasiness to eat away at my heart.

"So how did it go?" Fred and George asked taking a seat on either side of me at the Slytherin table, they were given dirty looks, but the twins were not particularly hated by many, after all, it was hard to find such dedicated goofballs. Not to mention, they were the schools, best import-export specialists when it came to contraband, made mad amounts of galleons off of it.

"He caught me," I admitted bluntly taking a small bite of roasted chicken.

"We thought he would," they both smirked.

"Well, thanks for the heads up," I growled sarcastically clearly agitated, surprised he had not given me another detention, but I had left too soon for him to do so, not that he had shouted after me anyway. "What was that thing anyway?"

"Muggles call it a mood ring, we thought we'd try to make one, it's utter rubbish though, can't seem to get their colors right," Fred finished the last part. I told them the events that unfolded after they shoved me out of that broom closet, and they seemed unaffected as I told them of their gadget's untimely ending. A shadow loomed over us, and both the twins gulped as they glanced up to meet a livid professor, and grabbing them by their ears he dragged them out of the great hall. I took that chance to make my way back to my dormitory, changing back into my quidditch uniform.

I glanced at myself in the mirror as we prepared to head out onto the pitch, the uniform didn't look all that bad, but I've seen better. "Nervous for your first game?" The captain smirked, giving me a half-ass fist bump, and I nodded slowly. I had only attended one practice match, since I had only been offered the position of chaser recently, after their chaser took an unfortunate blow to head, out of the commission for the remainder of the year, which was good for me, I guess. I walked out onto the pitch securing my gloves in place, as cheers and screams reached my ear, but I had a feeling they were mostly for the Gryffindor team.

The weather was absolutely vile, and slipping on my goggles I mounted my broom flying to take up my position, I was the only the girl on the team, but we had established, that in regards to agility and mechanics, none could match me, so my job was to go full offensive. Madam Hooch walked out, the weather nearly knocking her off balance as she shouted extra loud, but the wind was so fierce, I could barely hear her. Something about a fair game, and since most of the players had bought their way onto the team, it would definitely be a fair game for Gryffindor. I raked the audience as Hooch prepared to launch the balls and found Viktor, his arms crossed as his eyes met mine nodding me good luck, and suddenly I felt nervous.

With a holler, the game started the quaffle thrown into the air, and I was the first to react, swooping down grabbing the ball and securing it under my arm rushing the enemy's goal posts. We flew in a lopsided v formation, the beater riding beside me, as the other two chasers flew behind me, the other beater trailing behind. Our defense formation was quickly broken as the Gryffindors charged head-on, forcing the chasers and beaters to split, the plan was to escort me to the scoring zone, but what worked against Ravenclaw wouldn't work against Gryffindor. I watched as the two Gryffindor chasers settled beside me on either side ready to body blow me. At the exact moment they tried to collide with me, I threw the quaffle in the air pulling back hard on my broom, backflipping rather sloppily, but that didn't matter as they slammed into each other, losing their balance, and I ducked beneath them catching the quaffle as it landed in my hands on the other side.

The audience cheered loudly, but I didn't let that distract me as the bludger headed right for me, it was a lot faster than usual, and I gasped loosening my grip throwing myself to the right, my body hanging upside down on my broom. Not wanting to risk any more accidents, I threw the quaffle in the air hoisting myself back on my broom as I quickly twirled, hitting the quaffle with the back of my broom, tricking the keeper, the ball curved falling through the third ring. I quickly retreated, spectators, cheering, and I smiled withdrawing back to my team, fist bumps and high fives going around as we restored our formation preparing for the Gryffindors to attack, and attack they did. They charged right at us without a care in the world, throwing the team off balance, but I intercepted the quaffle as they passed it around and tossed it the ball to the chaser on my right, my goggles slightly blurred from all the rain. The first few minutes of the game had been great, but I now realized why everyone dreaded playing in this weather.

My broom was wet, my grip slipping every so often, and with the bludger trying desperately to behead me, it was a challenge and a half, especially considering I had never played in such weather before. The quaffle was passed back to me as we entered the scoring zone, and I threw the quaffle while the keeper was too busy trying to avoid the bludger to block. Another goal was scored, and I smile, a scream escaping my lips as my grip loosened and I almost fell off my broom. On that note, my broom tossed me forward, and I gasped as I hung from the piece of wood with one hand as it began to shake wildly, I managed to grab the broom with my other hand and held on for dear life, knowing that looking down was not an option.

I glanced at the stands trying to focus my gaze as best as I could, and my eyes met with Igor, his lips moving slightly as he mumbled my inevitable death. I growled, muttering a counter curse of my own, but when my gaze shifted to Severus, I stared intently as his lips moved with clear annunciation, his gaze on me as to not break the counter-curse, but it didn't seem to work as the quaffle flew over my head shooting up into the cloudy skies. My broom began moving of its own accord chasing after the quaffle, almost thankful at the angle in which it tilted itself, I was able to climb back on, but my broom wouldn't listen to me as it continued to dart up into the endless abyss of clouds. The Gryffindor chaser was on my tail, his eyes dead set on the quaffle, and honestly, he could have it.

I glanced down met by an endless sea of dark clouds and glancing back up to see the Quaffle disappear completely within the mist of white, and I took a deep breath as the curse finally lifted, probably too far from the caster to continue its mischief. To my horror, however, I was surrounded by dementors and glancing back down, the Gryffindor waved his wand in an utter panic with hopes of keeping the soul-sucking creatures away, but with no such luck as they took turns feeding off of him. I dug into my robes pulling out my wand, casting a patronus charm, but it was not as powerful as I had wished considering all of my thoughts lately had been grim. My goggles froze over, and I groaned unable to see anything through the foggy lenses, I cast another patronus charm, completely blinded but it didn't seem to do much as I felt all happiness drain from my body, the cold now piercing my bod.

My hands stung, and I snapped out of it, flicking my wand at the dementor watching it retreat as a ball of light hit it. My broom had frozen over, and I winced, pulling my hand away from the wooden handle, I lost my balance falling off my broom, another dementor swooped down, taking the pleasure of eating through my darkest memories. Then my goggles snapped, and once I could see, I cast another patronus charm, warding them off, but my main concern was that physics was taking its course, and the only force acting on me was gravity. Severus really would have to clean my remains off the Quidditch pitch. The cold stung my face, my eyes unable to keep open as droplets of water rained down from every angle, the wind making them all the more painful as they hit my skin. I fell through endless layers of cloud, my heart and mind racing as they shifted into overdrive.

I glanced down barely to see the Quidditch pitch, but it was somewhat foggy, and I sucked in a breath, preparing to stop my descent into oblivion, but black dots clouded my vision. All the pain seemed to vanish suddenly, and I couldn't help from closing my eyes, despite my instincts of self-preservation. All went black. When I opened my eyes, I was met with a gloomy dark sky, angry clouds raining down their fury upon the world, pain coursing through my body. Looking to my right, I spotted a worried Severus looming over me through half-hooded lids, his lips parted moving, speaking, but I could not make out his words. My senses became a blur and back into the darkness I plunged.

When I awoke once more, the familiar scent of the hospital room rushed past my nostrils, and I internally smiled. Of course, why wouldn't I be in the hospital wing, I'm practically a long-term resident now. I rolled over heaving out a sigh, my muscles straining from my freefall. I glanced at Sev, seated beside my bed, his form leaned back against the chair, one leg slid over the other, his arms crossed, and he looked elegant and poised even though he was sleeping. He was the last face I had seen before blacking out, I smiled to myself and grabbed the hand mirror to the side of the table, glancing at my face, I've looked better. I sat up leaning against the edge of the bed gazing at Severus, he was a light sleeper and considering he hadn't awakened yet, the exhaustion had finally gotten to him.

I wasn't thinking straight as I leaned in, the palm of my hand pressing against his knee as our lips were mere centimeters apart. I contemplated the thought, I really did. But then, his lips twitched into the faintest smirk and I backed away unsure if he had been having a fond memory or he was awake, and I fell back into the bundle of sheets turning my back to the brooding man, covering my mouth, pretending to be asleep.

 **I may or may not have broken my laptop :D Happy days! Who am I kidding I hate this world! T_T**


	8. VIII - First Task

By the time I awoke, Severus was already gone, and I was acutely aware of the two faces peering down at me. It took me a moment to gather myself, my eyes focusing on my surroundings, back stiff from the uncomfortable sleeping position. "How are you feeling?" The twins asked. They were grinning, but their eyes spoke volumes of their concern.

"I've been better," I grumbled, arching my back, the satisfying cracks reaching my ears. The twins looked unfazed, Fred picking up a chocolate frog from the table resting at the foot of the bed, accommodating all the gifts and snacks that were delivered overnight. I glanced to my right, the chair empty, a bouquet of blood pops neatly tied together rested there instead. Despite all the get well cards, and the endless amount of sweets resting at the foot of my bed, none could compare.

Fred and George had my consent, and they fought over my gifts, desperately trying to monopolize the best sweets in the batch. I slung my legs over the side of the bed and sat up a bit too quickly, blood rushing to my head as I sat back down on the bed. "Are you okay?" Fred asked, putting down the package of every flavor bean.

"I'm fine. Just a little light-headed," I admitted rubbing my temples. George rounded the bed, his eyes sweeping over the bouquet of blood pops. He reached for them, and I slapped his hand away, unintentionally hissing.

"Are those from your secret admirer?" Fred joked from the foot of the bed, shoving packages of sweets inside his robes. When I didn't answer, his eyes widened, and he rushed over picking up the bouquet of blood pops, scanning for a card, with a possible name on it, but he found none. Only one person knew how much I loved blood pops, and Albus wasn't very subtle when handing out gifts, hence the sizeable unwrapped broomstick sitting on the table beside the sweets.

"Who's it from?" they both asked.

"I don't know," I answered casually rising to my feet, my hands automatically reaching for the bouquet of sweets to which Fred instantly let go. We spent the hour socializing, and eating candy. Apparently, Viktor had entered his name, which was no surprise to me, but during my recovery, he had been chosen, and no one bothered to tell me this, not even the man himself, and he left me a get well card too. I swear you're gone for like one day, and suddenly everything happens.

The twins went on ahead, boasting about what great friends they were, spending the whole night with me. Considering Severus had watched over me for most of the night, I knew this to be a lie. Knowing the brooding man, he would have chased them away at the first opportunity he got. I couldn't find a good time during the day to thank him properly. He was always in public, the great hall, the corridors, his classroom, it was hard getting him alone.

My detentions had all been suspended till a later date, and I frowned, knowing my chances of speaking to him would not come soon enough. Since the names had been drawn, I rarely saw much of Severus, he was always out and about, mainly with Albus, and I did not need the old man's extra teasing. And other times, I saw him with Hagrid, and the two were talking, that never happens, considering the potion's master tends to ignore his fellow professors, the exception being Albus and Minerva, of course.

After a long-awaited week, my knuckles rapped against the wooden door, the familiar feeling of anxiety washing over me. "Come in," Severus' deep voice drawled, and I sucked in a breath, my brain screaming at me to go in, while my legs prepared to flee. But alas, my mind had more control over my body than I did, which sounds counter-intuitive, but whatever. I opened the door, peeking in before fully entering, and relieved to see his attention entirely on the parchment underneath him, I slipped in. "When I told you to break a leg, I did not mean it literally," he snapped.

"I didn't break a-"

"Silence." I stiffened on the spot awkwardly rubbing my wrists, unsure what to say, mostly because he was intimidating. I finally gathered my courage and looked up, ignoring the look of disdain from my carelessness. First step is first, concede.

"I'm sorry, I didn't think there would be dementors," I admitted. "My patronus wasn't strong enough." His brows furrowed, Severus had seen me cast my patronus charm more than once, but that day, no memory strong enough came to mind when casting my patronus charm. I thought about Severus, our banters, and the intimate moments we sometimes had, but none of it was that meaningful. Those memories brought me a sense of comfort and joy, but not enough to fight off a dementor.

His eyes bore into mine, and suddenly I wondered if this was all for naught, perhaps this was just a silly little crush that I would get over. The feeling in my chest told me otherwise, and despite all my attempts at proving myself wrong, I never had. I buried those thoughts six feet under and took a seat across from him, dragging a stack of papers towards me, preparing to grade. He didn't question me further as he resumed his grading, the silence tense and awkward, and if I wanted to tell him, it would be now or never.

I paused, pushing the parchment aside, my quill tapping against the mahogany desk. Severus finally looked up, irritation clear on his face, his eyes narrowing slightly, contemplating whether to disintegrate the quill or me. "Thank you," I said a bit too quickly for my liking.

"For?" He inquired.

"The blood pops," I smiled, and his frown only deepened. "Unless I have a secret admirer?"

"The latter sounds more plausible, I don't believe I would go out of my way to gift an ungrateful insolent brat," he hissed, the words strained with as much bitterness as he could muster. My smile faltered, and I parted my lips, but I swallowed my words and returned to grading. The room drowned in that same tense silence as before, but it was not awkward, not for me at least. I was too busy processing whether or not he meant those words, and coming to the conclusion that he had, I cleared away the thoughts and focused on getting my detention over with, wondering why I had even bothered in the first place.

"I'm done," I mumbled neatly stacking the papers on the edge of his desk. Severus gave a firm nod, and I took that as my cue to leave. I walked to the door, ignoring the gnawing feeling to turn around and apologize, but all I did was say thank you, I did not need to apologize. As I threw open the door, Severus cleared his throat, and I glanced over my shoulder, wishing to conserve the remainder of my self-esteem.

"You're welcome," he said softly, and I nodded, a small smile on my lips as I closed the door behind me. Why did he have to be so complicated? He could have just said that from the get-go, and none of this would have happened. It was memories like these, that conflicted with my ability to cast a stable patronus. Sure, in the end, the result was decent, but the progress to get there, it was always painful because apart from being a condescending bastard, Severus was the equivalent of an emotionally unstable woman.

It was a cloudy Sunday morning, the sun barely peeking past the clouds as students made way to the spectator stands, in preparation for the first task. I hadn't seen Viktor at all in the past week, and I was beginning to worry Igor hadn't been feeding him, considering the first task was today. However, I knew the man had his eyes set on the prize and had no time to goof around, especially not with Igor over his shoulder. Fleur and Cedric were the other two who had been chosen, I had never met Cedric, but he was a handsome young man, if I assumed anyone would make it out of the goblet, it would be a Gryffindor or a Slytherin.

Fleur seemed extremely on edge as she spoke to her peers, her hands fidgeting nervously, palms sweaty, and teeth grinding down on her lower lip. She was definitely not mentally prepared for this challenge, but I'm sure it wasn't all that bad. Confidence was half the battle as they said, and as long as she kept her head cool, she could come out on top, but she did not look like the type to think clearly under pressure. I had bugged Severus a few times about the challenge, but he would not let up, and I ended where I started, with no information whatsoever.

"Rynne!" The twins greeted as I entered the great hall, their arms wrapping around my shoulder, I had grown used to their familiarity. My personal bubble was no more.

"Hey," I greeted back, my eyes trailing between the two. They scooted apart, inviting me to sit between them, and I took the offer, knowing no one was waiting for me at the Slytherin table. As the two talked, I opened my muggle novel, mindlessly chewing on an apple, and I had to say Wuthering Heights was a magnificent book. Fred snatched my book, his action inconsiderate to the page as I was on as the book slammed shut.

"You're always reading, give it a break," he scolded, and I snorted.

"Unlike you dimwits, I like to keep my brain stimulated." Fred and George exchanged a dubious glance and Fred rose to his feet dangling my book above my head.

"Hey come on guys, that's not funny," I whined reaching for my book, but it did not help that the two were 6'3 against my measly 5'5 height. Fred grinned tossing George my book who lowered it enough for my fingers to graze the spine but quickly pulled it back up.

"What's wrong Rynne, too shor-" The book was ripped from George's hand, and he yelped as Snape smacked the book across the back of his head, Fred was next, and I smiled as my book was then returned to me.

"Detention Weasleys, do not be late," Severus warned flourishing his robes, making his way to the high table, and I turned around giving the twins a playful glare.

"Sucks to suck," I said smugly, waving my book at the two. They stuck out their tongues at me, and before I could reply, I felt a hand on my head and turned around. "Oh hey," I said, greeting Viktor in all his might, fully geared for the impending task at hand. "What are you doing here?"

"Brat," he chuckled shoving my head gently. At that moment, Igor walked in, his eyes trailing to meet mine, an incredulous look on his face. I assume his mind was rambling on about how I, the she-devil, am sabotaging his champion. He strolled up to the high table, his fists clenched, an indication that it took great restraint for him not to lash out here and now considering the first task was just hours away. Severus and Igor stared at each other, the tension growing and sparks flying from years of bitter unsaid words, along the lines of 'you tried to kill her, you bastard roar.' Or something like that.

"Good luck today," I encouraged Viktor with a small smile, and he nodded firmly taking his leave in confident strides. I compromised with the twins setting my book aside as we ate breakfast together, talking about the nonchalance of life, and future pranks to come which they assured me I was not a part of.

"We're gonna go reserve our seats, gonna take bets on who will die first, wanna come with?" They asked, a mischievous grin on their faces, and finding nothing better to do, I chuckled and nodded.

"That sounds great, count me-"

"Miss Salazar shall be assisting me this morning, hence will regretfully have to decline your...offer," Severus lied bluntly, taking hold of my upper arm as if I had committed an unspeakable crime. I remembered student whining about Snape's iron grip which tended to leave bruises, but although his grip was firm, it was gentle. Probably because most students were reluctant to follow him, it almost always ended with Filch, and Merlin's beard, that man was a downright bastard.

"Why did you lie?" I asked. His grip loosened, but Severus didn't let go.

"I do not lie, I simply give a partial truth," he said casually, clearing his throat, and I rose an eyebrow as an incredulous huff left my lips. Mhm. I was skeptical of that statement, but the more I thought, the more I realized why the Dark Lord trusted him so much. He never told Tom a lie, simply omitted part of the story, which is how he had managed to retain his position in the inner circle, and his occlumency skills didn't hurt either. "I want to show you something."

Just then it occurred to me, that Severus was in fact besides me, our strides falling into a rhythmic pace, a rarity of its own. I was used to his long strides, the ones that left me jogging after him like a baby chick chasing after its mother. Peeking at his face, he looked calm, almost relaxed, and Severus Snape did not do relaxed. It brought a smile to my face at his oddly attractive good mood.

"What exactly did you want to show me?" I asked, our steps coming to a halt, falling short of Hagrid's hut and ultimately, the forbidden forest.

"You'll see."

"If you wanted to kill me, you could have just said so," I chuckled.

"If I wanted you dead, Salazar, I would have done so eight years ago," he said, his deadpan expression causing some unease. Touché. With a smirk, he turned around, and I shook my head at him. I guess in some twisted way; it was a compliment, a subtle way of saying he tolerated me enough not to kill me. Severus' hit list was quite long, and I didn't want my name showing up on there, under the pretext of 'insolence.'

A loud roar erupted through the forest, my eyes darting in every direction. I crashed into Severus cursing under my breath, my nose tingling from the impact. I held onto his robes for safe measure as to not trip over myself and glanced up at him, a demanding expression. To my surprise, he did not seem to mind, a rarity indeed. Under any other circumstances, he would have barked for me to unhand his robes before I somehow defiled them. I cleared my throat. "Oh look at the time, I think I should head back," I murmured letting go of his robes before turning on my heels, more than ready to depart.

Severus gripped the back of my collar pulling me back, and I let out an exasperated groan. "I thought you trusted me." I whipped around, my eyes twitching as I stared him up a down. Oh hell no. He did not just try to guilt trip me. I thrust my index finger at him, my nail poking his clothed chest. How dare he! Sure I did it all the time to him, but he was a cold, emotionless bastard, and I could make my case with the cutest puppies in the world, he wouldn't give them a second glance.

Heat rushed to my cheeks, and I narrowed my eyes at him giving in. "I do," I mumbled, digging my heels into the soil.

"Good, then let's go," he growled shoving me in front of him. I thought we were having a mushy moment, but apparently not. I rolled my eyes and followed taking the lead, that way if anything happened, I would be the first to perish. Awesome!

"You know, you always scold me for my lack of self-preservation, and here I am trying to make a rational decision, and you bash me for it?"

"Then perhaps you should grow a backbone." I sucked in a breath and swallowed my words knowing they would get me absolutely nowhere. I contemplated shoving him, but my better judgment told me he would repay the favor with interest. An awkward silence fell over us, but that was not my problem, I was too grumpy to care. I should be used to it by now, but it never stops hurting.

We strode up the hill, and I wish I had stayed in my room, but considering it was a Sunday, I did not expect to go on a field trip into the forbidden forest. Reaching the top, my lips quirked up into a small smile, greeting the headmaster with a nod. Hagrid stood beside Albus, the two speaking quietly as their eyes trailed to Severus who loomed behind me. As we drew closer, the two halted their conversation, and I peered over their shoulders, my jaw almost dropping. Dragons. Holy smokes!

"I see you brought Rynne with you," Albus chuckled. I ignored the men, and approached the cages, smiling to myself, I mentally took a picture I would never forget. The Norwegian Ridgeback stuck its nostrils through the bars, and I approached slowly and carefully, resting my hand between the slits of his nostrils. Its predator eyes stared me down, and then it backed away quickly, and without warning rammed against the cage, its jaw coming through the bars as it tried to bite me. In an instant, I was pulled back and glanced up to Sev who gave me a disapproving look.

"Rational decision..." he trailed off, it took me an unhealthy amount of restraint not to wipe that smug look off his face.

"You're just jealous because I'm the dragon whisperer," I joked.

"More like dragon food," Severus sneered. We spent the next three minutes bickering like an old married couple before Hagrid interrupted, earning an annoyed "what?" from both of us. He backed cautiously, holding his hands up as a peace offering, Albus' eyes glimmered, and he chuckled setting a hand on both our shoulders

"Now then we wouldn't want to be late, would we?" Albus smiled, his eyes trailing to meet mine. "And I'm sure Krum would like to see you before his challenge begins." I didn't like the look in the headmaster's eyes, but I nodded regardless. Severus' lips thinned into a straight line, and he looked ready to speak, but Albus raised a brow daring the man to oppose his judgment. It was my turn to look smug. He took a deep breath straightened himself out and gave his robes a quick flourish before strolling back towards the arena.

"Thank you for showing me the dragons," I blurted. That caught Severus' attention, his head peering over his shoulder, offering a nod of acknowledgment before resuming on his way. I excused myself bidding the men goodbye as I made my way to the stands. With Albus' blessing, I snuck into the competitors' tent and waved to Viktor. His eyes softened, and he nodded, his face didn't show any signs of nervousness, but his sweaty palms spoke a different story.

"You'll be fine," I comforted, rubbing his back mustering up the courage to give him a toothy grin.

"I'm not sure I can mimic your sense of optimism," he chuckled dryly. And I nodded knowing that telling him about the dragons probably wouldn't make it any better. Viktor operated best in the moment of action, warning him beforehand of what was to come, would only throw him off. Dumbledore entered the tent, a mischievous grin directed at me as he began to gather up the champions. Sev stood at the entrance of the tent, his frame leaning against the edge of a wooden table, a few errant items laying on top.

Out of nowhere, Viktor embraced me, placing a soft kiss to my forehead, and the act of intimacy brought a blush to my cheeks. The room was engulfed in a quick flash of blinding light, and I looked up to see Rita Skeeter, and all color drained from my face as I shyly pulled away from Viktor. I would hang that woman. "An ambitious girl," Rita snickered angling her camera to take another shot. Viktor stepped between us, his hand firmly pressed against the lens.

"This tent is for champions, and friends only," he growled. Rita lowered her camera, and nodded, every pair of eyes in the room looking at her in a disapproving manner, except Albus. His eyes beamed with excitement and mirth, and sometimes I wondered if the wise old man wasn't just a child stuck in a man's body. Severus was gone. I wished Viktor good luck making my way out of the stands, my feet leading me to the endless rows of bleachers, trying and failing to find an open seat.

I found a seat with the Ravenclaws, and despite their dirty looks, no one commented on my presence, so I remained. I also got a good view of Fred and George, going up and down the aisle accepting bets for who would die first, naturally, most bets fell on Fleur. I spotted Sev, climbing the bleachers, his robes billowing dramatically behind him as he took a seat beside Minerva, and then his head tilted in my direction, and I immediately looked away, feeling unjustified guilt. I regretted my life decisions as my eyes met with Igors, a scowl that rivaled Severus'.

His stormy gaze was reciprocated by my own, but his stern disposition shifted, and Igor smiled, a dark, menacing grin. I looked away momentarily stunned, as he broke eye contact, sauntering up the rows of bleachers, taking a seat next to the other professors. Men, they're so complicated.

Viktor was the first to walk out, fastening his gloves, his demeanor calm and face stoic even as the dragon rose sensing his presence. The dragon drew back a breath through its nostrils, and a large glob of fire surged forth. Viktor took cover, letting the physical terrain take the hit, he drew his wand and ran from one rock to the other, the egg in his sights. He sprinted from cover to cover, finding a good vantage point for himself.

The crowd gave a few boos, taunting Viktor to do something, but I'm sure he was used to pressure, he was the best seeker in the world after all. I could see the gears turning in his brain, and never had I seen him this focused. He had a plan and to execute it he had to set the field to his advantage. However, that didn't stop the rush of anxiety as I scooted forward, on the edge of my seat, my fingers intertwined between each other, half praying for nothing bad to happen, the other begging for him not to be reckless.

Half the student body was forgetting the bloody dragon that stood between Viktor and the egg, but he was keenly aware of the bloodthirsty beats who looked for an opening to slaughter him. Sprinting to his next cover, Viktor aimed his wand and shot at the egg, it was a direct hit, and the egg went flying dropping with a loud clang, rolling down a pile of rocks until it came to a stop. Viktor emerged from behind the rock taunting the dragon, and I shook my head like a disapproving mother.

The dragon fell for the bait and drew back a large breath, Viktor countered the ball of fire with a water spell of his own, and the arena was engulfed in a large explosion, steam spreading rapidly, as the dragon turned its head, unsure where the boy had gone. I smirked, watching intently. Viktor was probably on his way to retrieve the egg, and I waited, the steam dissipating rapidly from the sheer amount of open space, and the breeze wasn't helping either.

The dragon looked impatient, its head barely peeking above the steam, its eyes darting back and forth trying to get a read on the situation. Viktor emerged from the steam, the egg in hand making a mad sprint to the other side of the arena, if he could cross back into the safe zone with the egg, he would win. I spoke too soon, however, the dragon spun, its tail sweeping the arena floor, and I gasped as Viktor was sent crashing into a nearby stone pillar. He clung to the egg for dear life, and when he didn't get up, my heart skipped a beat.

"Get up! Get up and fight!" I shouted, I earned a few glances, but then the crowd joined in and chanted for Viktor to get up. With much difficulty, he rose back up in time to avoid a fireball as he ducked behind the stone pillar and I let out a breath of relief. He took a moment to catch his breath, his eyes darting from the egg to the safe zone. Tucking the egg securely under one arm, Viktor ran for it, throwing any and all spells that came to mind as he did so. It kept the dragon occupied, the Chinese Fireball whined, taking a step back.

Although the dragon now seemed distracted, it was pissed, and it let it show as it stomped towards Viktor, a mix of fireballs and physical attacks. Viktor was now running across an area with no cover, and I clenched my hands into fists, he was acutely aware of how exposed he was, but he didn't look over his shoulder. Another fireball came out of the dragon's nostrils, and Viktor leaped barely avoiding the fireball, rolling elegantly against the rocky surface as he emerged unscathed and on his feet. He passed into the safe zone, a fireball directed right at him, but it crashed against the magical barrier, and he let out a visible sigh and then cheered holding up the egg.

In the chaos that ensued consisting of deafening chanting and cheering, mixed with confetti being thrown all around, Igor rose from his seat, his gaze casually falling on me. He beckoned for me to follow with a discreet nod, barely perceivable to the human eye, but I had known the man far too long to overlook the slightest of his body movements. However, I was conflicted, why would he want me to follow? There's no way he would murder me here, in front of all these people, but it was also the perfect time to hit me up for a chat, after all, everyone was distracted. And Igor was no longer on edge now that his champion was out of harm's way.

Igor made a sharp turn, disappearing beneath the bleachers, and like a fool, I followed. Upon turning the corner, I came to an abrupt halt, his wand already drawn, the tip grazing the bridge of my nose. "Has anyone told you that you are overly waspish?" I asked, my tone cold and mocking. I could feel the shaft of my wand pressing against my leg, and I glanced down to my combat boots deciding that I should wait and hear him out first.

Igor's eyes narrowed in annoyance, but unlike before, he didn't lash out, he remained calm, a small grin gracing that villainous face of his. "I suppose that is one of the traits Severus and I share." I forced myself to remain civilized knowing full well I could claw out his eyes given enough time, but his wand was in the way. He circled around me, and I tensed as I felt his presence behind me, his hand resting on the small of my back, he gave me a quick shove, and I walked feeling his wand pressed against the back of my neck. "Get moving. We have a lot to do."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked daring to glance back at his grim like appearance.

"You'll find out," he said. I looked past Igor and to the arena growing more and more distant with every step. The dark forest looming before us, and I cursed under my breath. A perfect place for the perfect murder, just great. Once behind the cover of the trees, Igor lowered his wand, and I made a hasty move for my combat boot, but he kicked me, and I stumbled forward catching myself on the dirt terrain. I grabbed my wand anyway but was instantly disarmed, the disadvantage a little unfair, I should have just clawed his eyes out.

Well, shit.

Igor pointed his wand at me, a sadistic grin plastered on his face. Asshole. He extended his other arm forward, and I scooted back, not wanting our skin to come into contact. "Is this the part where you rape me?" I asked a small hint of amusement in my voice. His smile wavered, expression shifting to both disgust and confusion.

"You-I-Just give me the locket," he groaned rubbing his temple. I stared at him blankly and tilted my head.

"I don't have it." The bark beside me combusted, pieces of wood scattering in all directions, his eye narrowing, warning me not to push him. My amusement faded then when I realized he was very much serious.

"I saw him give it back to you," Igor hissed.

"Spying on others is rude, perhaps the Dark Lord did not discipline you enough," I spat reaching into my shirt as I pulled out the locket. I told that moron to keep it, but no, no one ever listens to me. I unclasped the back of the locket holding onto the family heirloom and stared at Igor contemplating my options. I could attempt to fight him, but he had leverage over me, the man was many things, but he was still a good dueler when it came down to the roots. I tossed him the locket and sat up patting down the front of my skirt. "Is that all?"

"Have you finally come to your senses?" he mocked noting my change in tone. I didn't reply, but he took a step back, my glare giving just as much meaning as my words. He finally recomposed himself, clearing his throat, and adjusted his clothes. "I need the dagger."

"The dagger? I demand to at least know why you would wish for one of my family's sacred artifacts, you already have the locket," I snapped. With no warning, he grabbed the locked tossing it in the air before blasting it with a spell. I leaped to my feet punching him as hard as I could, he took the blow but didn't retaliate. Igor's hands wrapped around my wrists lowering them to my side. He jerked his head to the side, and I glanced at the intact locket on the ground. How was it still intact? "You want to destroy the locket?"

"Precisely, which is where you come in."

"I don't have the dagger, and I am many things Igor, but you will have to kill me first."

"You wouldn't understand!" He shoved me then, and I fell back into the dirt, his knuckles whitening from gripping his wand in pure fury.

"I don't have to understand," I said calmly, brushing leaves off my skirt. "You can go fuck yourself." His eyes burned with rage, his lips twitching into a menacing scowl. Strings of insults directed at me poured from his mouth, and I wondered if the man had finally snapped. He threw a spell my way, and I ducked, watching the infant tree behind me get obliterated. Had I pushed him too far?

I gave a side glance to my wand and dodged his next spell scurrying for my wand, but a yelp escaped me as the ground in front of me exploded, dirt flying in the air from the impact of the spell. Igor was disarmed then, his wand flying out of his hand. Severus sheathed his own wand now that Igor was powerless, and I cringed hearing a loud crack when Severus struck Igor hard. That was a broken nose.

While the two duked out their problems physically, I picked up the locket, clasping it around my neck. To my surprise it really was intact, not a dent, not even a scratch. I opened the locket, a picture of my mother and father holding hands, a bratty seven-year-old throwing her arms up in the air. I smiled at the photo and closed the locket tucking it back into my robes. I glanced back at the two death eaters, Igor's face was starting to swell, but their physical bout had now turned verbal.

Igor had made the mistake of biting off more than he could chew, and Severus indeed was a terrifying man. Looking at him now, I knew he was exerting every ounce of restraint he could to not brutally murder the man in cold blood—a broken man with an unbreakable will. The fight was disgustingly one-sided whether it be physical or verbal. It felt satisfying to see Igor defeated, yet I pitied him, despite him having left me for dead. He would forever be a coward, always looking over his shoulder, paranoid of everyone and everything. Fearful of every knock, always looking over his shoulder, waiting for each day to be his last, but he deserved it.

Igor had started the fight, but Severus ended it, with one last satisfying punch right to his gut. Igor fell to his knees struggling to breathe, and for the time being, Severus looked content enough. I left the forest, gazing at the arena in the distance, I would have to congratulate Viktor, considering his headmaster would be out of commission for the time being. "What about Albus?" I asked glancing over my shoulder. Sev's eyes fell on me, he looked calm and didn't bother to wipe the blood off his knuckles.

"Let me worry about that," he drawled. "Are you hurt?" I shook my head certain a kick, and some whiffed spells were not enough to 'hurt' me. Severus stopped me in my tracks, his hand cupping the side of my face, his thumb stroking my cheek, and then he added pressure trying to rub away the dirt. I slapped his hand away, chuckling softly.

"You're not helping. You're just smearing dirt everywhere." Severus and I parted ways, and I headed up to my common room to get cleaned up. I spent too much time looking in the mirror, at a girl who didn't quite resemble me. I've done many things I regret, and that I will never be able to forget, but the memories that once haunted me, I embrace them now. I remember my time in the muggle world, I was in love with superheroes, and now the charm seemed to fade. There are no heroes, just actions, and consequences, there is no good or wrong, just what one thinks is right, and what one thinks is wrong.

"Hey Rynne, you've been in there for two hours. Get. Out!" I finished drying my hair and exited the bathroom with a towel wrapped around my body. I ignored the looks the girls gave me, I changed into my night clothes and collapsed on my bed staring at the ceiling. God, I hate these moments of self-reflection, no matter how you look at it, I've changed. And sometimes, I can't fully grasp in what ways.

The next morning I threw a fit much to everyone's' enjoyment, that dirty little reporter. "The young 15-year-old Rynne, her perfervid love for the young Viktor Krum, oh how romantic, exchanging love's true kiss," Fred teased twirling George before pretending to kiss him. I rolled my eyes, first of all, I was 22 not that I would be shouting that fact to the world, and it was a picture of him kissing my forehead. Damn vultures, I scrunched the paper in fury, and Viktor smirked taking a seat beside my fuming temper. I glanced up to the high table, Severus absently staring at me, a scowl on his face, and Albus looked positively beaming with excitement.

"Good angle, I have to admit," he chuckled. My eyes darted to him, and I wasn't sure whether to rip out his throat or just murder him.

"I will murder you," I grumbled. "Oh, that's right, congratulations for yesterday!" I clapped. "Didn't get the chance to congratulate you, too many fangirls."

"Thanks for cheering me on," he nodded tilting his head in gratitude.

"Hey, it's a two-man team," I smirked. "So give me all the juicy gossip," I smirked.

"Weren't you there?" He asked, his brows furrowing.

"I left early due to a headache, all that cheering was about to make my head explode," I smiled sheepishly, the lie slipping out casually. He stood up beckoning me to follow, and I did.

He guided me out of the great hall, and we walked together talking about yesterdays events. I was familiar with the dragon, and his headmaster residing in the hospital wing for a few days, but I was not about to comment on that, and finally, the topic of the egg came up. I was intrigued.

"So this is an egg, obviously, but when I tried to open it..." he trailed off, his hand reaching for the small-cap holding the egg together, I placed my hand on top of his quickly.

"For my sake, do not open the egg," I smiled. I took the egg from Viktor, as a child growing up in the muggle world, I had loads of free time, which meant I read basically every book in the great Library of Salazar. "Have you never seen one of these before?" I asked.

"N-No, was I supposed to?" He asked.

"Well, I suppose not, it's a magic artifact, cover your ears," I warned. I twisted the small-cap atop the egg, and the sides descended in even strides, the screeching confirmed my suspicions, and I hastily shut it. Viktor stared at me, his eyes beaming with expectations and I laughed handing him the egg back. "Why don't you try taking a bath with it?" His eyes widened in realization, and his jaw dropped as he peered back down at the egg.

"How did you know?"

"I read it in a book once," I teased patting his shoulder. "It's what educated people do."

"Yeah okay, bookworm," he laughed patting the egg. "Well I was going to take a bath in the prefect's bathroom, you're welcome to join," he winked.

"I'm afraid I'll have to decline this time, but perhaps another time?" A small blush crept up his cheeks, and I shook my head at him. "You asked."

"Yes, and it will be the last time Mr. Krum," Sev hissed in his baritone voice glaring at the young boy. With a quick nod Viktor was on his way, and once alone in the hallway, I jabbed Sev.

"Stop ruining my fun you damn bat," I grumbled.

"It would take the enjoyment out of my day," he said casually striding towards the great hall.

"You're not very nice today!"

"Insinuating that I am on other days?" He retorted glancing back at me before he turned the corner. I clicked my tongue and flipped him off, even though he was no longer in sight.

I hate getting sick...


	9. IX - Exams

Darkness encroached, breathless, limp, and hollow. _Rynne_ , the voice called out raspy, and barely above a whisper, corruption spreading like a disease. Corpses, their souls torn from each of them, defiled with dark magic. _Immortality_ , the voice whispered. _Power. Come to me._

Waking up in a heap of sweat seemed natural now, I thought the nightmares had died down, but I was wrong. Now more than ever, they were personal, so very personal. I shuddered and reached out into the darkness, failing to grab onto anything, my fingers grasping at straws, I rolled over, falling on the floor. The loud thud alerted my roommates and the candles flickered on, their bickering cut short when they saw me. I wondered what was wrong until I couldn't function properly, my hands shot to my throat, and I writhed, unable to breathe.

"Rynne," one of the girls shouted rushing to my side. Her arms waved frantically, uncertainty flaring across her face, unsure what she was supposed to do. She helped me sit up, supporting me with her weight as she rubbed circles on my back. One of the girls grabbed her robes slipping them on as she rushed out of the room, most likely heading to inform Pomfrey of my situation.

 _Come to me,_ the voice called out, and I winced, blinking a few times, my breathing was erratic, and I wasn't sure if I was having a panic attack or something else entirely. I couldn't even begin to control myself, and my body felt foreign. I blinked three times and glanced to my left. Tom's deformed face met mine, and I screamed pushing away. _Come to me._

My nails scratched at the stone tiles, and I could feel my damp cheeks as they stung from the cold breeze of the dungeon. "Professor!" the girls panicked as they ushered the person into the room. My eyes were fixated on the ceiling, and I closed them, the tears falling effortlessly.

"Out," the voice barked and merely hearing his voice calmed me. I reached out to Severus, and he took hold of my finger, caressing circles on the back of my hand. Our eyes interlocked, and his brows furrowed in deep concentration, he looked so distraught, and I wondered what kind of face I was making. Mortification?

It wouldn't be the first time Severus had seen me like this, he was adept, despite the rarity of my attacks. He cupped the back of my head breathing loudly and steadily. He was close, so close I could feel his warmth radiating on my exposed flesh, the darkness was always so cold, and his warmth brought me unparalleled comfort. His scent all too familiar to me, and my fears faded as breathing became more natural, and I mimicked his breathing. It took a few tries but eventually, I managed to stable my breathing, my heartbeat slowing gradually.

"Which one?" he asked gruffly rubbing at my damp cheeks with the back of his hand.

"He tried to...to-" I took a deep breath. "When he tried to make me create a Horcrux." I shuddered at the thought, those words echoing in my mind. Severus looked enraged, his eyes grew dark with malice, but his hold on my hand did not tighten, and I knew his fury was not directed towards me.

I had never told him about that moment, it was one of my darker secrets, one I had buried deep down, with the intent of keeping it there, but life was a bitch. Of course, I never did get to experience the horror that is creating a Horcrux, but I was there with him when Tom split his soul for the sixth time. The image was still fresh in my mind. It was not a pretty sight, and the aftermath was an unspeakable abomination.

Severus dug into his robes pulling out a purple colored vial, and uncorking it, he held it to my lips. I scowled, but his gaze was intense, and I crumbled under pressure gulping down the liquid. "It's two a.m," he informed stuffing the empty vial in his robes, and I suspected his chest pocket was enchanted, but it didn't quite matter. "Sleeping Draught, I'll brew you a batch for the week till the nightmares settle down until then, get some sleep." I nodded, and he helped me back into bed, unwilling to do the honors of tucking me in which brought a small amused smile to my lips.

"Thank you."

"There's a reason I'm your Head of House," he muttered, his hand on the handle of the door, but he did not attempt to usher himself out. He looked hesitant if I was even reading him right. It occurred to me then that Severus probably had plenty of experiences with panic attacks, but considering he was the Potions Master, he did not have to deal with the burden of nightmare filled sleep, if he even slept at all. I swear, he always had bags under his eyes from lack of sleep. He probably understood me better than anyone could pretend to because he had been there, and whether or not he was over it, I did not know, but it was hard overcoming your worst memories because the past always came back to haunt you.

My fear wasn't Tom; it was helplessness.

The Sleeping Draught worked like a charm, I slept soundly and even through my first two classes, but I assumed Severus had taken care of the issue as my Head of House. I decided to skip all my morning classes, after all, it was bad to leave the job half-done. But, I was growing hungry, and lunch was around the corner, so I headed down to the great hall. I was pleasantly surprised to hear the blunt lie that had been told during my absence. It was beyond rare for any student to be excused, especially in the Slytherin house, due to Pomfrey's able hands and Severus' high expectations. The professors ate it up like lemon sherbets, and my roommates did not utter a word against it, probably held hostage over house points. Severus could be a right bastard when the opportunity arose, but I was thankful, I always hated interrogations.

"So how did your bath go?" I asked a sly smirk on my lips. Viktor froze, a small blush creeping up his cheeks as he struggled to finish the remainder of his drink, choking on it. Slamming the goblet on the table, he pointed at me in an accusatory fashion and then took a deep breath, calming himself.

"I was sexually harassed by a ghost, but other than that, thank you," he murmured.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" I teased leaning in.

"I said I was thankful."

"So, what did the egg say?" He looked me up and down assessing my worth and then shook his head.

"I'm afraid that is...champion matter," he said smugly. I narrowed my eyes at the man and huffed nodding my head.

"Right, if you say so. I'll find out one way or another." He seemed pleased with himself, and more than ever I wanted to smack him, but I had a feeling the female populace would jump me if that were to happen. I looked up to the high table, Sev meeting my glance with his usual stoic expression, but he tilted his goblet, and from the corner of my eyes I saw Albus, his cheerful smile forcing me to smile back, damn him. Igor was missing, and my eyes landed back on Severus, his once focused eyes seemed to be looking at anywhere but me. I shook my head slowly and turned away as someone tapped my shoulder.

"Y-You're Rynne right?" I nodded looking the kid up and down, and he was like 14. I glanced to the side, watching his friend group snickering to each other, no matter where you are, some things don't change.

"Yep," I smiled.

"W-Will you go out with me!" His voice boomed through the great hall, and as much as I wanted to laugh, I restrained myself. His cheeks were a bright red, probably from embarrassment. I didn't want to say no, but I didn't want to say yes either, the kid was 14, and no offense, but he was not my type. I wouldn't be in this mess if I didn't have to keep up this charade. I glared at Albus who offered a gleeful smile in return, and Sev rolled his eyes while Minerva had almost spat out her drink, dabbing a cloth to her mouth, hiding the outrageous grin on her lips. Remus' smirk was faint, but amusement shone in his eyes despite the vivid exhaustion showing beneath them in layers. Poor man.

"How about a date?" I compromised. Viktor sneered, preparing to stand, but I placed a hand on his knee, forcing him back down. "But, you have to ace all your exams," I grinned. I probably shouldn't have said that to a Slytherin, but hey, you live you learn, right? When incentive was given, Slytherins could do practically anything. Nothing was impossible in our realm, just a bit of creative problem solving and voila.

"Y-Yes! I can do that!" I basically told him, no, but I guess a good challenge never hurt anyone. On that note, Viktor set a hand on mine, and I looked at him with a devilish grin.

"I know, I'm evil."

"You know he's going to pass, right?" I waved him off and gathered my textbooks.

"It's just a date, relax. Besides, shouldn't you be spending more time with your future wife?"

"She's not my future...wife-Rynne, shut up!" I laughed walking out of the great hall waving at him.

"Sure, sure!" He threw me a playful withering glare but stood up making his way to another table. I still had some free time before my afternoon classes, and I headed back to my room, to find a keyboard on my bed, it was loosely wrapped with a bow, but I knew it was from that old geezer. I'll become a spoiled brat at this rate. But someone had to keep me entertained. One of the girls was still sleeping, but if she was late for her classes, it wasn't my problem. I told myself that, but in the end, I woke her up anyway. She rolled out of bed groaning, crawling to the bathroom clutching the side of her head.

How someone gets a hangover on a Tuesday, I don't know, but that's some bad life choices right there. I made my way down to the black lake with my new keyboard and sat on the edge of the docks mindlessly tapping at random keys. I thought electronic devices were not allowed at Hogwarts until it hit me that this was powered by magic, and my curiosity peaked. It's been a while since I've played the piano. I struggled to find a piece to perform, and in the end, just tapped at random keys to make melody. "Salazar himself would scoff at your lack of talent," a velvety voice spoke.

I raised a brow at the figure standing behind me and chuckled. "Because if I remember correctly, you were a true prodigy," I mocked. Severus rolled his eyes and gazed over the horizon.

"How about Chopin, perhaps...Nocturne?" He suggested. I smiled nodding as I commenced, it was a piece I had played countless times for him and my father.

"Do you remember when we used to play together?" I asked shyly. He raised his brow at me, the memory still vivid in his mind.

"I do," he trailed off wishing to brush the topic out of the way. I scooted over to make some room, and he stared at me like some kind of crazed witch.

"Don't be shy, professor," I teased, but I couldn't contain the hopefulness in my hues. He glanced around a few times, seeing the area barren, and he sat down next to me, a small scowl on his lips as he placed the leftmost portion of the keyboard on his lap. His fingers gently grazed the keys; it had been years since we last played together. Back when the world was still a calm and rather peaceful place, which was never. But back then I lived in isolation, away from the terrors of the world, locked away from the darkness that crept up our doorstep. Before Tom became a force to be reckoned with.

"So, how have you been?" I asked.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me," I said calmly.

"It has been rather quiet," he trailed off.

"But?"

"It is only a matter of time." I nodded my head in agreement, his finger pressed the wrong key, and he stopped playing, and I promptly followed. I looked at him, his hollow eyes focused on the swaying water, calculating his next words. It is only a matter of time. At that moment that statement resonated within me, and I took hold of his hand and smiled.

"Do you trust me?" I asked, my fingers grazing the key but not pushing it down.

"Always." He said without hesitation, and I smiled softly.

"Good, because I almost died for you," I scoffed playfully, feeling as though I had just slapped his earnest and raw feelings back in his face. "I've always trusted you." It was a decent recovery, but the damage could not be undone. The conversation had quickly spiraled down, and I thinned my lips standing up. "We should get going."

He nodded leaving in silence, thoughts haunting his mind, I had a feeling he would be in a foul mood today, and I seemed to have been correct as a substantial amount of points had been deducted from _all_ houses. However, I did not regret our conversation. He said he trusted me, and I would not fail that trust. He didn't even hesitate too, and to me, that meant the world. On the contrary, however, I could barely keep my feet on the ground, me and my dumb happy moods.

I finished my exam in record time and relaxed setting down my quill, gazing at the ceiling, I had so much on my mind, but I couldn't quite organize my thoughts, so now my mind was drifting in every direction. "You okay?" Fred asked. I flicked his forehead and motioned for him to zip. He should know it's not wise to talk during a test, but I could see him stuck on a question and I rolled my eyes tracing the answer on his thigh.

Fred took the time to thank me at dinner, and the rest of the week rushed by, exams passing in rapid succession. Saturday rolled around, and I was unfazed to find that the Slytherin boy had passed all his exams, and I glared at Viktor in disgust as he snickered. "Told you so," he grinned.

"To be fair, I never disagreed with you," I shrugged.

"Rynne, just let me have this one," he chuckled giving me a noogie.

"Not the hair," I protested slapping his hand away. Viktor's eyes widened, and he suddenly spilled his purse giving the lamest excuse I'd ever heard and ran off. I stood there mildly baffled by his sudden change in attitude, and I glanced behind to find Sev and sighed shaking my head.

"You scared him off, happy now?"

"Yes," he answered bluntly.

"Well, I have to get going, I have a date with some kid," I grumbled. He just nodded and turned to go, but I took hold of his sleeve and realizing we were in public I quickly let go. He took a step back pretending to be offended, a look of pure outrage on his face, or perhaps it was a very much real, let's just say I could be thick sometimes-that was an understatement.

"Yes?" He asked, his expression stoic as always.

"Aren't you going to stop me, maybe give me detention?" I asked.

"Miss Salazar, I have more important matters to deal with than your love life. Besides, one must live with the consequences, no?" he sneered. My lips parted slightly, but I stopped myself short of what I was about to say. I nodded quickly and turned around, a bitter look on my face, I totally deserved that one. I changed into a hoodie and a pair of leggings and headed down to the courtyard. As promised the Slytherin boy waited for me, I sheepishly smiled waving at him. We walked alongside each other, an awkward yet comforting silence because I did not wish to speak.

We arrived at The Three Broomsticks, and like a gentleman, he opened the door for me. The inside was rather gloomy, the light of day not quite making it inside, and candles flickered delicately, almost blowing out as the Slytherin boy closed the door. A man sat at the counter, drunk and his loud voice babbling incoherently. The lady behind the counter rolled her eyes, but once her eyes met mine, she smiled, giving me a subtle wink, and I answered with a polite smile, ignoring the impression she got. I know I looked young and whatnot, but still, ugh.

We sat down in a corner booth, a candle lighting the table, keeping the shadows at bay. I sat across from him not wanting to give the wrong impression, considering the couple adjacent to us was already snogging. "Have you ever been here before?" the boy asked.

"No, this is my first time," I murmured glancing at the dusty table, my fingers unconsciously gliding across the surface gathering a trail of dust, I wiped it on my leggings and pretended not to care.

"Then I recommend the butterbeer, it's a blessing," he smiled. First dates have never been my high point, and it didn't matter whether they were of age or not, I'm just a naturally awkward person when it comes to feelings. And it's for that exact reason why I'm an idiot around Severus. It doesn't help that he's an emotionally loose cannon either. Life sucks. I ordered a butterbeer, but in all honesty, I wanted to drown in alcohol, perhaps firewhiskey, Severus seemed overly fond of the drink.

"This is probably a bit late, but I don't actually know your name," I said dryly. His eyes widened at the realization, a blush spread across his cheeks, and he cleared his throat.

"Noah," he said gleefully, extending his hand across the table. I shook it with little interest and sipped at my drink unsure why I agreed to this in the first place. It felt weird. I felt oddly guilty; I wasn't sure why. The butterbeer wasn't bad, but I missed the burn in the back of my throat, and the light buzz after downing a glass. I had no desire to be here, but I mentally slapped myself and got my shit together, trying to show some interest. "Are you okay, you seem distracted."

"Sorry, just not feeling well today." It wasn't a complete lie either, my supply of Sleeping Draughts was expendable, and last night had not been pleasant.

"Oh, would you like to go back to the castle?" I shook my head feeling bad if I outright ditched him.

"No, if I'm trapped inside for one more second, I might go crazy," I chuckled sadly playing with my straw. We talked for a while, first with school and our studies, he talked about his family for a bit, and his plans for the future. I nodded absentmindedly, sometimes asking follow up questions, I wouldn't say I wasn't paying attention, but I was not all too interested in the life of a 14-year-old boy with his first world problems, because I had my own.

Noah offered to get me a refill, but I shook my head and thanked him for the drink, he deposited the glasses on the counter of the bar and turned around giving me a sheepish smile. He wasn't paying attention to where he was going and crashed into a familiar dark figure. Noah apologized profusely, and I smiled, amusement creeping up my cheeks, he looked absolutely mortified, if not a little spiteful. And to my surprise, Severus didn't take points or assign detention, well he was Slytherin.

His eyes were focused on the boy, looking him up and down, judging his very value in the world and I rolled my eyes. Of course, Severus Snape was here, pretending not to care just so he could come scope out the situation with a typical I told you so to follow it up. Except Severus was too classy to say those three words, he always had to be a snarky prick about it, wording it as condescendingly as he could, yet that's what I loved about him. His eyes met mine, and Severus shook his head, his eyes expressing some form of disappointment, and I shrugged unsure what I was supposed to do or say, it's not like I picked the boy. Plus, I didn't want to embarrass him in front of everyone, I would, to some extent, feel terrible. Because I had been there, and it was not pleasant.

I ignored Severus as he ordered a drink and resumed conversation with Noah, feeling his burning gaze on the back of my head. "We could go for a walk," Noah suggested pulling at the collar of his shirt. He took the words right out of my mouth, and I smiled letting him whisk me away. It was a peaceful walk, a comfortable silence as I caught my breath, enjoying the fresh air.

"Thank you, I needed this," I smiled.

"Well, we could go out another time...perhaps," he trailed off hopefully.

"I meant the walk," I chuckled causing him to a stumble in his tracks, a blush creeping up his cheeks. At that moment, I regretted ever making this stupid deal. I should have just let Viktor rip his heart out. I couldn't handle a silly high school boy crush, wow I sound like a hypocrite. I hope I wasn't like this towards Severus if he ever even noticed. In his eyes, I'm sure he saw me as a platonic friend that he had spent eight years with, someone he could _at times_ rely on. I wasn't going to lie; I'm not exactly the trustworthy one in this relationship. Well, not that Severus was either, sometimes he had an agenda, and conveniently forgot to tell me about it.

"Would you like to tell me what's bothering you?" he asked, sticking out his chest proudly, taking the initiative.

"Snape."

"Ah that greasy git, yeah, you're infamous for all the detentions he's given you, no wonder you hate him," the boy growled, residual bitterness from his previous experiences with Snape.

"I don't hate him," I spat.

"Right, and trolls can fly-oh, you're serious?" He frowned.

"Hasn't anyone ever told you that hate is a strong word?"

"Snape can go rot in hell for all I care. That foul loathing bastard is such a-" Without thinking, I slapped him. I took a step back realizing I had overreacted, but only I had the right to insult Snape. Because while yes, Severus was a downright bastard, he was my bastard, that sounds wrong. I didn't have time to correct my thoughts, my hand stinging from the friction. Noah was stunned, his face priceless and I almost wanted to chuckle, almost.

"What the fuck is your problem?" He shouted.

"You. You're my problem, pretending as if you know everything about Snape. He is a better man than you will ever be!" I snapped, knowing those words sounded foolish coming from my mouth. Even more so, I wish I had kept my mouth shut, not that this kid didn't need to be put in his place, but I had spoken out of line, and broken said line.

"You know, people are right about you, you are a bitch. You probably shag the sick fuck like the disgusting slag you are." I gave up on my self-control and lunged forward, hitting him square in the face, my knuckles stung, but the satisfaction felt terrific. Noah grunted and lost his balance, falling on his ass, holding his nose, and I hoped I had broken it.

"Go fuck yourself," I whispered. Noah stood up, his eyes blazing in anger, his Slytherin side coming out as he drew his wand, a look of utter malice on his face. He was disarmed before I had the chance to do it myself, his wand landing behind him, on the uneven terrain, lodged in the dirt.

"You insolent little-70 points from Slytherin," Severus barked. The boy looked behind me, paling as he hurried back. Severus strode past me, his hand gripping the boy's collars, involuntarily growling like a predator baring its teeth.

"I didn't-"

"Get out of my sight," Severus snapped shoving the boy towards the castle, his patience on a thin line. And without looking back, Noah scurried away leaving Severus and me alone. I bit my bottom lip, the words still stinging as the tears welled up in my eyes. I turned away from him rubbing my eyes with my sleeves. His hand landed on my shoulder, and I shook him off trying to hold the pieces together.

"Don't," I murmured, my voice breaking from the rollercoaster of emotions. I didn't want to be scolded again for being weak and letting words get to me. I froze as Severus cupped the back of my head, pulling me into his chest, and it took me a moment to realize what was happening until he finally spoke.

"A better man than you will ever be..." he trailed off thoughtfully. I pulled away, heats rising to my cheeks, I averted my eyes, biting my knuckles. He wasn't supposed to hear any of that.

"You...You heard that?" I whispered, mostly to myself. He nodded. "So you heard...everything?"

"I did," he said bluntly, and I wished he had just lied to me.

"Don't be so honest. This is the part where you're supposed to lie." I heard him chuckle, the noise unfamiliar, and I thought I imagined it, but his chest heaved at an irregular pace.

"I heard everything," he clarified, taking hold of my hand, his eyes trailing the light bite marks on my knuckles. He brought my hand up to his lips, kissing my knuckles softly, and I melted on the spot, unsure what I was witnessing. My chest staggered, and breathing became hard as feelings washed over me and I struggled to maintain the tears as I covered my eyes wishing for the earth to swallow me whole. I just wanted to disappear. "You shouldn't bite yourself, Miss Salazar, others might think you're...up to something."

With a flourish of his robes, Severus stalked away, and I pressed a hand to my chest trying to regulate my heartbeat. I felt like a lovesick teenager and shook my head slapping my cheeks. I am not. I am not in love, it just all happens to be coincidence, yes, yes that's it. I'm an idiot. I walked back to the castle with flushed cheeks and troubled mind, unsure if I could get over today.


	10. X - Baby Steps

I never quite understood how rumors spread so quickly, it had been less than 24 hours. It's like a massive game of telephone, and extreme exaggeration is bound to happen. That being said, what was once boys will be boys was now a hate bandwagon. I was still salty from yesterday's events, I knew not to take insults to heart, but that didn't mean they didn't hurt. Severus wouldn't take credit for his work, but he was the one who started the rumor mill by calling the boy out in the middle of class, leaving the rest of the students to speculate what had happened in the brief 30 seconds of interaction. And his house didn't look too kindly on him, I mean 70 points was a lot, and he was in Slytherin. Never in the history of ever, had Severus deducted more than 10 points to a student in his house, the boy had broken a record, one our house would never quite recover from.

I spoke to Severus about the boy's punishment, but he was adamant that he had made the right call, however dodgy his morals could be, I couldn't bring myself to argue with him, not when he was doing it for me. It felt nice though, Sev no longer acted as though I was the enemy, and it seemed crazy that he was always there when I needed him. But running over those thoughts a few times, I realized that it was rather fishy, was he spying on me? I glanced up to the high table, but his attention was solely focused on Albus.

The two were engaged in quite a somber conversation, Remus even chimed in, and the look on Severus' face was one of consideration and contemplation, that never happened between those two, they were mortal enemies, despite it being one-sided. Oh, I guess Severus could hold a long ass grudge. The only one who looked remotely calm, was Albus, well from an outside perspective they all seemed calm, but I knew something was amiss. Minerva herself looked put off by the conversation, her hands resting in her lap, she had yet to touch her food, expression grim. And as our eyes met, she made a point to look away. Okay.

My attention refocused to Viktor who groaned in frustration tapping his wand like there was no tomorrow. His eyes glaring at the pages of his N.E.W.T textbook as if there was something wrong with them. "Stop glaring at your textbook like that. You're not Superman."

"Superman?" he questioned.

"Nevermind."

"Not all of us are prodigies," Viktor sneered. I remained silent, unable to defend myself, and it wasn't my fault I was stuck here! But Viktor did not need to know that.

"Well, why don't you calm down for starters, yeah?" He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. When he calmed, he looked to me awaiting further instructions. I couldn't quite blame him, non-verbal spells were truly a hassle, but once you got the hang of them, it was a breeze. "Before casting a non-verbal spell, you should cast it verbally. With a clear image in mind, picture every vivid detail and then let your muscle memory do the work." He nodded grabbing his wand, with a flick of his wrist he recited the spell, and sure enough, he conjured up a paper bird, and I smiled. The bird burned into ashes and Viktor concentrated his wand waving effortlessly, no words escaped his mouth, and the results were underwhelming, nothing happened. He frowned visibly frustrated and growled under his breath. A chuckle slipped my lips, not meaning to offend him, but it was cute.

"Well, it won't always work on the first try, go on, give it another go," I ushered. He groaned in pure misery and continued to wave his wand, trying to conjure up a paper bird wordlessly. I gathered my textbooks preparing to leave when Viktor stopped me.

"You do it," he snapped, but as commanding as he tried to sound, it came out as a plea, and I sat back down. I wasn't thinking straight and waved my hand, but luckily Severus grabbed my wrist canceling my non-verbal incantation.

"Miss Salazar, perhaps you should leave the great hall intact." I nodded not looking at him as I regarded Viktor who frowned at Snape. My wand was still tucked in my combat boot, and I glanced to my hand, there was a vast difference between non-verbal magic and wandless magic, and part of me let out a shaky breath, thankful Severus had stopped me. Crisis averted.

In the end, I used my wand, showing Viktor how to properly cast a non-verbal spell, but I still couldn't get over the mistake I almost made. I only knew simple wandless spells, but nonetheless, no student should be able to perform wandless magic, even in seventh year, the chances of that were slim, and I did not need to the extra attention. It spelled trouble, and trouble always got me scolded, I knew that from experience. I somehow got stuck helping a group of fourth years with their transfiguration, and I cursed my good heart wishing it could burn in hell, along with those textbooks.

On my way to Hagrid's hut, I was ambushed by the twins, and they leisurely wrapped their arms around my shoulders, swaying me along with them. "Can I help you two gentlemen?"

"Actually dear Rynne,"

"You can." The twins smirked, and from the looks on their faces, I shook my head.

"It better not be a prank," I said sternly, whipping around to face the two devilish pranksters, arms folded in a disapproving manner.

"Believe or not, it isn't a prank." Their honesty shocked me, and their eyes did not waver, and I sighed knowing I was getting dragged into yet another ruckus.

"Fine," I groaned. "And what do I have to do?"

"Absolutely nothing-"

"Just stand there and look pretty," Fred instructed. George worked on my hair, fluffing it up slightly, tossing strands in disarray.

"Disheveled enough, won't you say so, Fred?"

"Indeed!" The twins snickered. "Now stand right there, and try not to move." I nodded glancing at the two, and then, Fred leaned in, his lips brushing my ear and I tensed.

"What are you doing?" I whispered, trying to push him off.

"Trying to confirm-"

"Weasleys you never cease to amaze me," a velvety voice rang through the hall. Severus rested a hand on Fred's shoulder, looking rather annoyed. With a defeated sigh, Severus grabbed the back of his collar and pulled him away, the two shared a look that wasn't quite hostile, but meaningful, and I glanced between them. Had I missed something? I glanced to George, who held back a snicker, but his eyes approved and I wondered what the hell was happening. "Dreadfully repetitive," he muttered to himself.

"Let's go, George!" Fred beamed happily, his smirk too wide for me to feel any sense of comfort. I shook my head and glanced to Sev.

"Did you-I'm sorry what was that? Since when are you, two friends?" I asked holding onto his sleeve, knowing he would pull a fast one on me, given the opportunity.

"We are not friends," he snapped, but there was something in his eyes, was that guilt? Nuh-uh Severus Snape did not do guilt.

"Should I be concerned? You didn't shout, and you didn't give him detention, you weren't even rough with him. Are you feeling sick? Is it that time of the month?" He rose a brow then, a wicked smirk almost tugging at his lips, almost. "What?"

"Rough," he whispered to himself. His eyes examined me, and clearing his throat, he fixed my hair and adjusted my uniform in three quick motions. I scowled, disgusted by how graceful he could be at times, perhaps he got it from my father, those two did talk a lot. I noticed his eyes were still on me and I patted my hair consciously, my nerves growing on edge.

"What?" Without a word, he flourished his robes and away he walked. Damn it. He pulled a fast one on me. Since when did Severus learn to charm his way out of situations? No that meant I was easily charmed-wait was I? I shook my thoughts away and headed to Hagrid's hut determined to get through the day with the remainder of my sanity intact.

I sat in Alchemy nursing my wound from Herbology as I observed _Professor_ Snape. I thought he had been in a good mood, but perhaps I had deceived myself. I did not imagine the look he gave Fred though, and Severus would never in a lifetime miss out on the opportunity to take points away from Gryffindor. What the hell was happening, was this opposite day? No, Severus was still the same condescending bastard as always. I intertwined my fingers, resting my chin on them, glancing him up and down, his clothes were normal I guess. His face holding his usual platonic scowl as he lectured about the delicacy that came with Alchemy. His eyes met mine, a visible frown on his features, and I averted my eyes jotting down random words in my notebook, hoping he would interpret the act as me taking notes. What was he hiding?

Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary, a bit more grumpy than usual, but I assumed Tom was to blame for that. On that note, however, when Tom was involved, Severus usual held a murderous glint in his eyes, but for now, that was not the case. I glanced down at my doodles, adding a mustache to my poorly drawn Mona Lisa and pouted. "Five points from Slytherin and detention. Pay Attention." Snape drawled, slamming his textbook on the edge of my table. I jumped then, genuinely caught off guard, the desk shaking from the impact. God Damn.

Roaming the halls, countless students discussed the latest escapees from Azkaban, and I rubbed my arm uncomfortably. "You shouldn't let news like that get to you," Remus smiled, falling into step with me. He whipped out a square of chocolate, and discretely slipped it to me.

"Says the dodgy man trying to smuggle me chocolate," I smirked.

"Dodgy?" He pressed a hand to his chest, his gentle eyes peering down at me.

"Have you been getting enough sleep?" His eyes were practically bloodshot, and the dark circles didn't make him any more lively. "You look half-dead."

"Wasn't I always?" he joked, and I opened my mouth, but quieted myself unsure what to say. I wasn't planning on joking about the matter, but if that was how he was going to cope with his situation, who was I to judge, I was the same way.

"Dessert before dinner, you're a bad influence," I winked plopping the rest of the chocolate into my mouth before parting ways with the werewolf.

"You must be rubbing off on me," he teased, and I gave the man a crooked smile before disappearing around the corner. Had to admit, he had good taste. At least I knew what to get him for his birthday, a large basket full of chocolates.

Having heard so little, my fingers stiffened as I read the daily prophet, having forgotten to do so this morning. Students were not exaggerating, more than a dozen escapees had managed to escape, and Azkaban was starting to look like a joke. Five Death Eater raids had taken place this week, and it was only Wednesday. Darkness was creeping up the stairs, and it brought a chill to my bones. Even with all the Dementors and Aurors on duty, I couldn't help but feel like we were fighting a losing battle. Dread washed over me recalling the mutiny that had taken place just months ago. Tom was not wasting a single second.

After dinner, I ran after Albus, trying not to draw too much attention to myself. "Sir, can we talk?"

"Of course," the headmaster smiled beckoning for me to follow him, the gesture not reaching his eyes as he led me up the stone gargoyle steps leading up to his office. I did not expect company and glanced between Minerva and Severus, who in turn stared at me. Severus shot Albus a disapproving glare. I took a seat beside Minerva not all too thrilled that the headmaster already had company. And I don't know what Severus had against chairs, but he remained standing, looming menacingly behind me, hands gripping the back of the armchair.

"I see you already have company," I commenced piercing through the tense silence.

"Will that be a problem?" Albus smiled, his eyes challenging Severus, but Minerva was already prepared to take her to leave.

"I suppose not," I said quietly. The tense silence returned, and I could only speculate that they were waiting for me to speak. Great, added pressure. And I already knew where this conversation was headed, with Severus in the room. "He'll be coming after me."

"And?" Severus snapped, his tone already ruling out any possibility of compromise. And this is why I wanted to speak to the headmaster alone, but I also knew that as cunning as Severus was, he would find out, one way or another. I collected my thoughts, tapping my index finger against my thigh.

"I don't want to endanger anyone."

"That line has already been-" I glared at Severus.

"Rynne, you being here is to keep you safe," Albus spoke softly, his voice firm and unyielding as he took a seat.

"So endangering hundreds of lives justifies my well-being? Have you perhaps forgotten what happened at the world cup?" I questioned rising to my feet baffled by how calm he was. Was he not bothered in the least? "Albus, he's back, and more fearsome than ever. He grows stronger every day. I can feel him, prodding around my mind, waiting for an opening, invading any privacy I once held dear." The room turned silent. They knew I was right, and it made no sense to endanger hundreds for the sake of one unimportant girl. I wasn't as brilliant as any of the wizards in this room if anything I was a failure, to myself and my family. What had I ever done in my 22 years of life? I slept around and did some shady things in my youth, lousy decision making, ones that ultimately led to the rise of the Dark Lord we all knew and feared. Severus pressed a hand to his clothed forearm, the Dark Mark lying underneath.

"Albus, the poor girl, doesn't want any more blood on her hands," Minerva pleaded, and for once, I was relieved that someone understood where I came from. It was one thing taking the life of someone who deserved it, I was by no means pure, but being responsible for the death of innocents, the cut ran deep, and it flowed with guilt that haunted me every night. I did not want to feel like that again because I could hardly forgive myself as it was.

"I will not allow this!" Severus hissed, his fists slamming onto Albus' desk. "You want to just throw her into the hands of the enemy?" He glanced at me, eyes burning with fury. "What they'll do to her..." he trailed off, his voice cracking, and he found himself unable to finish his sentence. Minerva looked down to her hands, fingers fidgeting nervously as she chipped away at her nails. I recalled the night of my birthday, and the wine glass filled with blood, and I shuddered.

"This moral dilemma is ridiculous; I won't let you pick me over anyone else. I don't care if I carry the Slytherin name-" I paused, falling back in my seat as I realized that this was much bigger than me, Tom would come whether or not I was present, and now I felt like an idiot for my outburst. I didn't matter, in the least, I was just a pawn in this tiresome game of chess. Albus set a hand on Severus' shoulder, and the Potions Master calmed himself, taking a seat.

"And as much as you do not want blood on your hands, no one here wishes to have your blood on their hands," Albus reasoned. I nodded taking my leave to cool off. I understood where everyone was coming from, but I couldn't bring myself to agree with anyone, not even myself. My feet carried me to the owlery, unsure what I was expecting in this gloomy weather. No black owl, and no letter, it had been weeks, and life was not as kind as to fall into my favor. A lone white owl sat perched, staring at me intently, wondering what a human was doing up here at this hour, and I couldn't provide that answer myself.

If my father was good at anything, it was hiding, and I found myself tempted to leave, to find him, but a part of me didn't want to leave. I had no strong connections here, but if I were to leave...my heart throbbed...and I knew the reason why. It would eat me out alive. "You're thinking of running off...again," a velvety voice spoke, his voice softer than usual. I offered no response and turned my back to him, staring at the wall. "Your mental walls are down." Right, of course, they were. He always did this anyway. I shouldn't even be surprised anymore.

In a fit of anger, I whipped around, digging around in his head, surprisingly he didn't stop, his defenses were not up, and as soon as I entered, I retreated. It felt wrong to prowl around in that mind of his, the darkness that lurked there was similar to my own, which was the exact reason why I did not want to know. My opinion of him would not change, we've both done unspeakable things, but I was better off not knowing. It felt almost like trespassing, he had handed me the key, but I was not ready to open the door. Not yet anyway.

"It doesn't take a genius to figure me out," I stated acutely aware of who I was bashing on, but it was true, as cunning as some might think I was, in the end, I was straightforward, honest to my grey morals and ethics.

"At least we agree on something." And here we go again, round and round we go. Asshole. I thought better than lashing out, I had better things to do than defend my honor, and he would expect me to lash out. Perhaps I shouldn't be so straightforward. He had no qualms brushing me off and turning the tide of the conversations, what was stopping me?

"Does it hurt?" I asked. He tilted his head, seeming surprised yet confused at the same time. I looked at his arm and took hold of his wrist unfastening his buttons. He didn't stop me which I found odd; he was very reserved when it came to his mark, I already knew where it was, it was the act of having to look at it that haunted him. Of all the mistakes that could not undo themselves, the crimes and murders he had committed, all of them sealed inside a patch of faded ink that slowly beat back to life.

"That doesn't concern you." His words held no harshness, but there was something in his tone that bothered me. I, on the other hand, was glad I didn't have a mark of my own, due to a series of fortunate events, I never had to be branded like a cow.

"Well that's too bad," I whispered squeezing his hand. "I think it does." I closed my eyes feeling his pain as my own for a brief second.

"How noble," he sneered squeezing back. It was far from affectionate, however, and I found myself trapped in his grasp. "Stop blaming yourself, you sound pathetic. I am as responsible as you hold yourself." I did not see that one coming, and that grave expression of his, I don't think I'd ever seen it before. I couldn't help but laugh feeling his grip loosen. "What?"

"I hope to be as valiant as you someday, Severus." His eyes darkened, but I was not mocking him in any way, rather the opposite. I intertwined my fingers with his, leaning in, my mind racing along with my heart, both in agreement that this was a bad idea, but my body was moving on its own, telling me it was or never. His eyes were fixed on mine, almost challenging me to follow through with my actions, rather than pushing me away, he too was leaning in, and I couldn't quite come to terms with that. Our hands were still intertwined, and I began to question myself, but all thoughts came to a halt as his hand rested on my shoulder.

Albus cleared his throat, and I pulled away, heat creeping up my cheeks. My heart lurched, and I glanced down at our intertwined fingers, flailing my hand away, hiding them behind my person. What was I doing-or thinking? I think there's something wrong with me. Probably. Severus' eyes darted to the archway leading into the owlery, Albus smiling softly, his eyes twinkling with mirth. What terrible timing, no knowing Albus, he had interrupted on purpose and I shot the old man a dirty look fully aware of what he had just done. That, however, would not stop my embarrassment.

"What?" Severus barked, his fists clenched, genuine anger brewing in that disrespectful tone of his.

"I was hoping to talk to Rynne. Alone." Both men glanced at me, and I stared past Albus, not wishing to make eye contact with either of them. I just wanted to disappear and pretend this moment had never happened. After throwing the headmaster a withering glare, Snape left, his robes billowing menacingly behind him.

"Seems as though I have upset him," Albus chuckled attempting and failing to cover that grin of his. Severus wasn't the only one that I contemplated putting my fists to good use for once. But instead, I groaned wishing to be removed from the picture altogether, scowling at this cunning old man.

"That was so embarrassing, why would you do that?" I cried out mortified of the consequences of my actions. The headmaster smiled, clasping his hands together behind his back as he swayed gently in the archway observing me. And slowly, that playfulness in his eyes was replaced with the same expression he held this morning.

"Dark times lie ahead, Rynne. Every decision you make, you have to be ready." Had he caught on to my hesitance, just great. It did feel odd, for the longest time, this is what I had wanted from Severus, but not quite in such a tangible way. It was just a kiss, and I had received and given plenty over the years, but this was the first time I felt so hesitant. Was I too fearful of what would happen next? I'd like to believe I was ready, but perhaps I wasn't. To his merit, the headmaster was right, and I nodded my thanks cupping my hands. With a soft and caring smile, Albus exited the owlery, and I found myself trailing at his heels.

"I don't feel ready," I admitted, the words gushing from my lips.

"Tom?"

"More than just Tom," I clarified coming to a full stop, clutching onto the old man's sleeve.

"You don't have to be ready this second; when the time comes, you will be ready. No one is truly alone."

"You say that with much confidence."

"I have a reason to believe, as do you," Albus reassured, his hand squeezing my shoulder affectionately.

"That does not stop the uncertainty."

"There will be a time when we must choose between doing what is easy and what is right. But remember, always follow your heart."

"Thank you for those words, professor," I smiled appealing to his slightly younger days. But as they say, a true master is an eternal student. The headmaster went on his way, humming to himself as he strode down the corridor, leaving me to my thoughts. Perhaps I was overthinking the what ifs, would it be so bad to let go? Let the river flow in whichever direction it wants, up or down, left or right, and where I end up...well that's a story for another time.

The next morning I sat on the docks of the black lake, observing the small waves crashing against the shore. Something was charming about the black waters, swaying without a care in the world, a true enigma, one of beauty. Talking about an enigma, a tentacle emerged from the water, but just one. I was skeptical at first, wary of what may come next, but I heard the Giant Squid was rather docile, and wouldn't hurt a fly without reason. I suppose even the biggest of beasts get lonely.

I tickled the tentacle, gasping as it sprayed me with ink and water, looks like they didn't squirt only for predators, gross. I pet the limb awkwardly, providing comfort to the lone creature, I doubt the Merfolks and Grindylows provided much camaraderie, poor little guy. However fun it may have been to spend quality time with the squid, my uniform suffered, and I couldn't remove the stains with magic. Lovely.

Not only was I late to potions, but I was also wearing an ink-stained uniform, my dress shirt more so afflicted than my skirt. As I stood in the doorway, all eyes on me, Severus nearly dropped the textbook he was holding an incredulous look on his face as he examined me. One that turned to irritation very quickly, and then he shut his book, the sound echoing through the classroom. Oh no. "What in bloody Merlin's beard-five points from Slytherin and detention, now take your seat. And please, clean yourself up, you slob." Heat rushed to my cheeks, and I actually considered walking right back out that door, but Severus' wrath was not to be trifled with, so I took a seat and kept my mouth shut.

"Turn to page 236, and begin," he drawled, voice and eyes directed fully at me, was he angry? I hope it wasn't about the _kiss_ ; my heart could only hold so much regret. I averted my eyes feeling particularly shy and turned to page 236, staring at the potion we would be brewing. Amortentia. A girl raised her hand, and Severus pointed to her, his attention drawn elsewhere. "Yes?"

"Sir, we brewed this potion in our sixth year-"

"Hmm, as they say, practice makes perfect, perhaps you could use this time to polish up on your inadequacy." Yikes, someone was feeling a bit brutish today. "Same for you, Miss Salazar." Why was he getting snappy at me? I hadn't done anything...well not today, at least. I immediately got to work, ignoring the heavyweight in my heart. Picking out my ingredients, one by one, I began to follow directions, brewing the potion with care. I finished in record time, hardly remembering doing the work, I supposed the potion master had rubbed off on me, I was becoming quite the brewer, if only it were beer, but alas. The familiar mother of pearl sheen and spiral-like steam let me know I had brewed the potion correctly.

"Amortentia," Snape began. "The most powerful love potion in the world, it causes the affected to have an unhealthy obsession-or infatuation as some might say-with the giver of the potion, therefore making said potion unspeakably dangerous...in the wrong hands. Therefore, none of you will be leaving this room with even a drop of it." Severus walked around the room, observing us like a hawk. He seemed pleased no one had screwed up yet, and as instructed, I bottled the liquid in two small vials and let them rest in the vial holder awaiting further instructions. "Amortentia has no known smell as it varies from person to person." Once every student had finished, one by one, he began to call up students, and a boy was the first to walk to the front of the class, handling his two vials with care. Severus unlidded his brew, the boy leaning in to get a whiff of perfection at its finest. "Well, what do you smell?"

"Peaches, walnuts, and..." The boy stepped away from the potion blushing. Some students seemed too embarrassed to share with the class and were given a free pass, the Potions Master feeling generous today, but uncharacteristically impatient. How odd. And finally, I was called up. I handed Severus my two vials taking a quick sniff at the potion, leaning down so my bangs covered my eyes, and discretely I glanced to him, not lifting my head.

"It smells like Firewhiskey, spices, and..." I trailed off adding the much-needed tension. "And a dash of condescending sarcasm," I whispered chuckling to myself. In truth, I smelled nothing in his presence, but having fun was one of my good features. He, however, did not look so amused and slapped the back of my head in front of the class, scowling. I burst out laughing backing away quickly holding the back of my head with a cocky grin.

"Five points from Slytherin," he muttered. "For your cheek." A few snickers went around, but I didn't mind, it was a moment to relish. His withering glare fell on me, and I smiled innocently, luckily for me, a girl rose her hand, and I breathed easy knowing his attention had been drawn elsewhere.

"What do you smell professor?" He took a sniff himself, his eyes darkening as they fell on me. Scary.

"That would seem to be none of your business," he shot back coldly, and I thinned my lips. And moody too. "Class dismissed. Not you Salazar, you are not excused." Uh-oh.

"Yes?" I asked the smugness far from gone, and it would remain for at least a few more seconds. With a wave of his hand, the door closed, and my smile quickly faltered. "H-Hey, I was just j-" He pulled me into him, my chest flush against his, I couldn't recall the last time we had been this close...willingly. He held me in place, and I grew more nervous by the second. "What are you-!" I heard him inhale and froze, but as soon as he had grabbed me, he let me go, and I jumped away whipping around to meet his stare. My cheeks flushing under the circumstances, damn him, why did he always make me feel like this.

"You had a stain on your shirt," he said calmly, but his eyes were very calculative. I glanced down, and sure enough, the ink was gone. How did he..? Looking closely, however, I saw a small smile playing on his lips and frowned. "You're dismissed."

"Weirdo," I mumbled grabbing my bag and heading out the door.

"You okay Rynne, you look quite flustered," Fred commented, a devious smirk crossing his lips as I sat down beside him.

"Y-Yeah I'm fine, I just...I don't know, people are just weird," I sighed resting my head on the table. I looked up to the high table, Albus flashing me a knowing smirk, and I groaned turning my head away. That damn old geezer always knowing everything.

 **Hope you enjoyed ^^**


	11. XI - The Forbidden Forest

"Don't you ever feel like some days, you accomplish absolutely nothing?" I whined slumping against the table, fork picking at the egg yolk on my plate. I poked a little too hard and frowned watching it ooze underneath my piece of toast. Great.

"Isn't that every day?" Viktor grinned. I shot him a glare and threw an apple in his general direction, but as expected, he caught it with ease, taking a bite out of it.

"We could pull a prank," suggested Fred.

"The real question is; who haven't we pranked yet?" George mumbled to himself in a daze, his brows furrowed in deep concentration. His gaze then focused out into the distance filled with disinterest.

"You know that moment when pranks get boring because you've pranked every student and staff member—including the headmaster—yeah me neither," I smiled sarcastically tapping my fork against the edge of the plate.

"Snape is always a fun candidate-"

"Ugh no, he's been handing out month-long detentions, like they're candy, and I already have a week's worth of detentions to catch up on. The twins glanced at each other exchanging a small snicker. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing," they said, an innocent smile playing on their lips.

"Yeah, right," I scoffed. Viktor stood up, his lips twitching into a small smile as he left for his daily workout.

"Good luck on your game today," he said taking his leave with a small wave. "I'll be cheering for you."

"Game?"

"Yeah, we have a game tonight, good luck nemesis!" I sighed rubbing my temples, glancing up to the high table, taking a mental log of the workload assigned by each professor. Remus was missing. The twins patted my back, and I cursed under my breath.

"So you're telling me that all the homework I put off until today was all for nothing?"

"Pretty much," Fred smirked. I let out a cry of anguish, slamming my head against the table earning a few glances, but what was done was done.

"You know what would take the edge off?" Fred whispered to my right.

"A prank," George finish. I pushed the two away, but couldn't help the grin forming on my lips. Revenge would be sweet.

"Let's get those suckers!"

"Atta girl!" They both cheered dragging me out of the great hall. However, after a good twenty minutes, I took a step back frowning.

"I'm sorry, did you say prank, because to me this screams death contraption," I mumbled.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, Rynne."

"And prison is just a room." I mused scoffing at them.

"Relax," Fred cooed.

"No one will get hurt..."

"Probably."

"And what have we here?" A velvety voice drawled. Well, shit. Tragic timing, my hand was stuck in the cookie jar and then some.

"It was all her idea!" the twins accused and made a mad run for it. I sighed facepalming; I should have honestly seen this coming. I parted my lips prepared to build up a case in my defense, but the verdict had already been decided. Guilty as charged. And before I could speak, I got a fat detention slapped across my face. Make that one week and one day now, plus the all the homework I put off till today.

"Wait, professor, I have a Quidditch match toni-"

"And?" He cut me off looking rather annoyed.

"And...nevermind," I groaned. Spending a whole hour taking the contraption apart, I was late to my Dark Arts class but better safe than sorry I presume. Not that I cared too much about missing the first twenty minutes of class having to listen to that dimwit Lockhart brag about his _grand_ adventures in nowhere land. Naturally, the rest of the class period I scribbled down as much as I could on different parchments hoping to get all the work done before my Quidditch game, but that was very optimistic on my part. Gryffindors brought quite the challenge to the table, and games could last as long as six hours, time which I did not have.

Remus wouldn't transform until a full moon, but I knew his hiding spot and so before heading to the quidditch pitch. I stopped by the Whomping Willow immobilizing it before slipping two neatly wrapped bars of chocolate into the hole under the tree. I could respect Remus' personal bubble, and he most likely did not want me to be anywhere near him whether day or night. Men would never show their weakness willingly, because I know I wouldn't unless it was...necessary.

The Gryffindor team was already positioned and ready to go, and I being the responsible adult that I was came stumbling onto the pitch, making last minute checks on my quidditch gear. I got into formation slipping on my goggles and looked at my team, my usual spot taken.

"Hey what happened to our seeker?"

"I'm looking at her," the captain smirked, tapping my back encouragingly as he flew into position, preparing to contest the ball.

"Right..." I mumbled. Bastards could have at least informed me like oh, I don't know literally a week in advance. At least my team gave me all the moral support I needed, giving me pats on the back with somewhat encouraging words, what more could a girl ask for? Apparently, our seeker had a mysterious accident along the way, but I just assumed I wasn't the only one to have blown off my homework, but who knows.

It felt odd hearing the whistle ripple through the air, Quaffle getting passed around between the Gryffindor team, I would have normally snatched the ball and went for the goal, but no I stood back watching for the Golden Snitch. Spotting the Snitch in the distance, I dove down gaining as much momentum as I could chasing after the small object. As expected, it flew at an ungodly speed, and I looked back at my team. Well, I guess this was my responsibility now. I cracked my neck and knuckles tightening my ponytail, can't say I didn't enjoy a good challenge though.

The Gryffindor seeker spotted me, and with competitive glare zoomed past me in pursuit of the golden snitch. I let him go with a smirk, knowing he would not catch it that easily. Watching him circle a few times trying to catch the Snitch, and failing miserably brought a grin to my lips. So impatient.

I flew around the pitch a few times, dodging the Bludger on occasion. The captain retreated to my side as my team prepared to be on the defensive, a lopsided V formation to stop their offense. "What are you waiting for?" he asked calmly. I smirked, and winked at him, dipping midair to dodge the ball heading towards us. The captain caught it and rolled his eyes zooming past me to get back on the offense, but I didn't miss his little smile. What can I say, I'm a charming gal.

Weaving in and out of the spectator stands, the golden snitch had yet to be caught, teasing me with its ridiculous speed. Slipping underneath the stands and counting to ten, I waited. And then went up with full speed, cutting off the Snitch and the Gryffindor boy, causing the two to split in opposite directions. My finger grazed the Snitch, but I was unable to catch it.

As soon as I did so, however, the Snitch suddenly fell heading straight for the ground. I threw my legs over the edge of my broom, letting myself fall, it was fast, and I not fast enough. Not going to lie, this was a lot more frustrating than it looked. At the very last second, it stopped, trailing along the bed of sand. I came to a quick halt, awkwardly hanging from my broom. Throwing myself against the wood, I mounted my broom and chased after the Snitch, and it was like skateboarding but a lot more dangerous. The tip of my middle finger grazed the snitch, but I was going as fast as I could. Realizing I wasn't going to catch it, I gave up letting the snitch ride off to a higher altitude. At least, I earned some style points from the audience.

After having come so close to catching it, the Bludger seemed intent on knocking me off my broom, and it wasn't an issue until it began raining. During an unexpected dodge, I slipped and lost my balance unable to recatch myself. Thankfully, the captain grabbed my ankle, and I recalled my broom, giving him a thankful nod. "My hero," I cooed playfully, to which he rolled his eyes. So sassy. Being a seeker was a terrible position, who did this for fun anyway? The Gryffindor seeker was right behind me, and once he caught up, he bumped into me, but I didn't falter, hitting him back twice as hard with his own medicine. I threw him off balance, but he was as determined as I was to catch the Snitch, both our hands reaching for the same object. We exchanged glares, and then I smirked cocking my head towards the spectator stand. He gasped crashing into the wooden pillar, and I pulled up in time laughing softly to myself. Classic.

It was a victory short lived as the Bludger headed straight for me. I managed to avoid a ball to the gut, but it smashed into my broom, tearing it in half. I gasped finding myself in free fall, I smacked into one of the stands and managed to latch onto the edge, but due to the rain, my grip slipped, and I fell hitting the bed of wet sand with a loud thud. Air sprinted from my lungs, and I gasped for air, coughing wildly. The crowd cheered as I clumsily got back on my feet, and I groaned rubbing my lower back. Ouch.

Was I discouraged? No. Was I pissed off? Yes.

Once I was handed a new broom, I chased after the Snitch, past the skyline, and through the endless clouds, ignoring the burning sting of rain. After officially losing my patience, I leaped off of my broom, the Gryffindor seeker coming to a sharp halt. Extending both arms forward, I trapped the snitch between my hands, pressing one hand to my chest securing the ball as I reached my free hand towards my broom. Like a good boy, it came rushing after me, but it seemed to be lacking in speed.

I plummeted through the skyline once more, now heading towards the ground, my broom trailing right behind me. After cursing the broom into oblivion, it finally caught up, and I managed to grab it before I hit the ground. Landing safely on the sand, I took a deep breath and glanced at the Snitch secured in my hand. And with a goofy grin, I held it up in the air, the crowd cheering. "And Team Slytherin has caught the Snitch, earning 150 points and claiming victory all in one go!" The whistle was blown announcing our win, and after high fives and hugs were passed around, I was ready for a hot bath.

I couldn't express how glad I was for the game to be over, three hours under the rain was not what I would call pleasant. Rain always had to complicate things, no it couldn't be sunshine and rainbows outside. I don't think I'd ever seen the Hufflepuffs play in the rain, lucky bastards. I was soaked through and through, and I wouldn't be surprised if I woke up tomorrow morning with a cold. "Good job out there," the captain smiled slapping my back a little too hard. I bared my teeth at him and ended up punching him, and you know what, he took it like a man, good for him. I took a bath in the prefect's bathroom gently moving bubbles around with the pads of my fingers. I sunk in, the water reaching my chin as I closed my eyes, exhaling my stress away. There was a certain thrill to being a seeker, but I preferred to be the one kicking ass, getting the goals in and putting people in their place. Yeah, that sounds about right.

I changed into warm clothes for the night and sighed realizing the sun had already set, and as always the dungeons were less than welcoming. They were cold, and I was done with cold. I hugged myself, my hoodie not proving quite as effective as I would have liked. After three quick raps, Severus answered the door, and I let myself in placing my wand on his desk. "We're going out today," he informed beckoning for me to retrieve my wand.

"Oh good, I was wondering when you were going to take me to dinner," I teased tucking my wand inside my combat boot. Severus shoved my head slightly and handed me a large leather pouch. I held it aloft, glancing at the brooding man before me, something seemed wrong. More than that, was it alright to wander outside? It was already dark, and tonight was a full moon, Remus could be wandering about. However, I didn't voice my concerns knowing that Snape would pull out the _grow a backbone_ card.

"We'll be gathering ingredients, keep up," he said striding out of the room, with me following at his heels.

"Aren't you going to-" with a wave of his hand, the door to his classroom shut and I nodded. "Nevermind." The walk was silent, and once we made it to the edge of the Forbidden Forest, I froze. "This is where you get your ingredients?"

"What did you expect?" he asked.

"Well the castle has a garden, so to speak, and Hogsmeade isn't too far." He didn't answer me, and I groaned following him into the forest. I didn't exactly have fond memories in here, plus it was cold as hell. I pulled out my wand, and with a quick wave, the tip lit up, illuminating the surrounding area. If I had known we were heading into the forest, I would have at least brought my cloak. I looked up to find Severus missing and immediately came to a halt. Oh great, the plot of every horror movie that ever lived, just leave the girl all by herself, how gallant. I gasped feeling a presence behind me and whipped around ready to strike, but it was only Sev, his lantern lighting the small space between us. "What are you a ghost," I grumbled.

"Good job today," he said softly, throwing his cloak over my shoulders.

"Oh...thanks. Won't you be cold?"

"Don't be ridiculous." After a half hour of stumbling over roots and running into Sev's back, he finally motioned for me to begin picking herbs. I quickly got to work only to realize that these herbs could easily be obtained anywhere and I stopped.

"We're not here to gather ingredients are we?"

"No," he answered nervously, gently swaying his lantern back and forth.

"Goodie," I answered sarcastically.

"As one of the only female _friends_ I have," he stressed, and I frowned. "And as a woman, I...I need relationship advice." the smugness was slowly rubbing off on me, not only was this physically killing him, but he was obviously out of his comfort zone, and it felt wrong to make fun of him. I couldn't help but stare. The great Severus Snape was asking me of all people for advice, what world are we living in?

"I don't think I'm really suited to answer, most of my relationships were...well you know," I mumbled sheepishly, clasping my hands together. I finally blushed realizing how uncomfortable this was for me because I was also way out of my comfort zone. "But s-since you asked, I'll try my best, it normally comes down to what type of person she or he is I guess." He raised an eyebrow, and I thinned my lips. "What is she like?"

"That is none of your business," he snapped.

"You asked me for advice, so don't get snappy with me, I did not spend three hours under the rain to be dragged against my will into this cold dark forest for you to be moody with me, _sir_!" I barked. His eyes darkened, and he took a step forward closing the distance between us, I froze regretting having spoken up, my heart sank into my boots, and I closed my eyes expecting him to lash out, but he didn't.

"For your information, Miss Salazar, you are still serving detention, but if you must absolutely know, she gets on my nerves quite easily, but it's lonely when she's not around. It's hard to explain, but she ensnares me in a way no woman ever has before, and I find myself getting... _jealous_...when she's around other men." Wait, if he's asking me does that mean he isn't referring to me? Where in the world would he have time for a relationship? I thought we were making progress, but I guess it was silly, my heart ached, and I stared up at him unsure what to say.

"Well, she sounds like a prize if she caught your eyes," I chuckled awkwardly. "I'm sure that if you enjoy spending time with her, and she does too, then I'm sure things will eventually just click, you shouldn't wait too long though, or else she might escape you, that's rule number one," I scolded. Walking back to the castle, my mind raced with who he could be so infatuated with; I couldn't picture him having a heartfelt moment with anyone, it was just unnatural.

To be fair, everyone got on his nerves. Who did he even spend time with, he spent most of the time cooped up in his office, unless every night after dark, he snuck out to go meet his Juliet, was that even a possibility? Could he have fallen for a fellow Death Eater? No, I'd rather she be a ditzy exotic dancer than a Death Eater, any day of the week. Besides the only people he really ever talked to were Albus and Minerva. I gasped turning around and stared at him in shock.

"Oh god, is it Minerva?" I cried out my whole being filled with disgust picturing the two together. Maybe he was into _mature_ women. He sped up smacking my head gently, and I nodded following after him.

"Don't be ridiculous," he scoffed. I couldn't find it in me to be pissy, or even too upset, my expectations from the very start were close to nonexistent. Severus was an okay-ish friend, and for the time being, I didn't mind being surrounded by just friends.

"So not Minerva got it. Perhaps...Albus?" I was having too much fun teasing him that I wasn't paying attention to the ground. My foot caught in a root and I gasped reaching forward, but Snape was swift as he jumped to catch me. Unluckily he also lost his balance, and we toppled backwards, his arms wrapped around me protectively, and I held onto him as we rolled down the hill. His arm slid up my back cupping the back of my head, forcing my face against his chest. We came to harsh stop as he hit a log and I sat up gazing down at him with an innocent smile hoping he wouldn't curse me to death. He narrowed his eyes and parted his lips, but I slapped my hand on top of his mouth. The ground reverberated, but that didn't seem to faze Severus as he grabbed my wrist dragging my hand off his mouth.

"Salazar, get off me," he spat. I ignored him, and pressed my hand to the floor, they sounded like they were coming this way, but why? I heard a small grunt from underneath me and rolled my eyes.

"I'm not even that-"I tensed feeling a hard bump beneath me and blushed looking away pretending like I hadn't realized. Had he no shame? My temptation to hit him grew exponentially, but it all vanished as I felt something graze my neck, I made the mistake of looking up, and hundreds of spiders descended from their webs. I froze closing my eyes, clutching onto Sev's robes. Oh god, why did it have to be spiders? I squirmed trying my best to fling the spiders off me.

"Stop moving!" He hissed. I let out a soft whimper feeling one of the spiders crawl down my head, and I wanted to cry, this was so gross. Now it felt like my whole body was being crawled on. Severus took hold of my hand, and I opened my eyes to see him press a finger to his lips, and I nodded, hearing the centaurs pass overhead, they seemed to be fleeing from something, their usual perceptive nature completely missed us and as soon as the spiders landed they made for the same direction as the centaurs. We remained still for what seemed like ages until all the commotion passed, and I hid my face too embarrassed to even look at him. Who even got erect in these types of situations?

I slid off his lap tensing as a loud howling sound echoed through the forest, the noise growing closer and closer. "Was this also a part of your master plan?" I mumbled as Remus emerged from the thicket, his eyes focused on us, and I backed up slowly, knowing I wouldn't be outrunning a werewolf, but I could outrun Severus. I glanced at him, his indifference to the whole situation pissed me off. Then I glanced to his legs, and I don't know, he had pretty long legs, he would probably cover twice my distance in a single stride.

"Lupin," Severus breathed, drawing his wand. I gasped grabbing his arm, wrestling him for his wand.

"Severus Snape don't you dare!" I shouted at him. Remus was already in enough pain as it was, and this was Severus we were talking about, he would either make sure Remus could never walk again or maybe even never breathe again. He could take his childish spite elsewhere.

"Idiot," he snapped. I glared at him, and he bit the inside of his cheek nodding reluctantly. I let go of Severus' arm giving him one last warning glare as I approached the werewolf.

"Remus, do you remember me?" I asked softly, making sure to keep enough distance between us. "It's me, Rynne, remember, you love smuggling me chocolate when no one is looking."

"What's the point of me brewing you wolfsbane potion if you're not going to drink it?" Severus chided from the back, and I turned around shaking my head at him. The werewolf's eyes darted to the cloaked man behind me, and I sighed.

"Ignore the idiot behind me, Remus. You're better than that. You're not a monster, you're a very loving and gentle man, who has a strange obsession with chocolate. I dug inside the pocket of my hoodie, pulling out a half-eaten bar of chocolate. I removed the wrapping cracking off a square and holding it out to the werewolf. "See, chocolate." Remus' ears perked up, and he slowly strode to my side, he circled me three times and buried his muzzle in my hand, sniffing the chocolate, and then he ate it. And my heart nearly stopped afraid he would bite off my hand.

"You want more?" He gave a low howl, and I cut off another square feeding the werewolf, could he sense my fear? I mean yeah probably. After eating the second square, Remus circled me twice and sniffed Severus' cloak and then his eyes focused on me, and I backed away slowly. The softness his eyes once held was gone, he rose to his full height, and I took a step back, putting some distance between us. The werewolf lunged at me, and I blocked, but the sheer force of the impact, send me back a few feet, and I groaned, feeling the stinging pain in my arms. Severus was too slow, and even though he was prohibited from casting any spells, I knew my words could only do so much. Remus was blasted square in the chest and sent sprawling back against a tree.

The werewolf looked furious now, its eyes fell on me, and I gulped. Okay so maybe this had been a bad idea, but I mean outrunning a werewolf was also a terrible idea so yeah. Severus threw spell after spell at the werewolf, but he was much too fast, and I scurried to my feet searching for my wand, which was conveniently on the ground about three meters away. Lovely. A towering figure leaped over my body and collided with the werewolf, the centaur kicked the beast in the chest, spear at the ready. With one quick thrust, it pierced through Remus' arm, and he let out a pitiful howl, running away deeper into the woods.

The centaur glanced back at me with a nod and I nodded back slowly. "Thank you," I breathed. Severus jogged to my side, kneeling to inspect my wounds, he ignored the centaur altogether, and after this, we would be having a long talk about manners. "I'm fine," I mumbled rolling my eyes. However, the same could not be said for his cloak. It had a few claw marks in it. "I'll buy you a new one."

He looked annoyed now, and I pouted, then what the hell was the right answer? The centaur took his leave and Severus loomed over me, his irritated expression softening. I backed up against the bark, his hands coming down on either side of me and I gulped. This is the part where I admit I'm wrong and hopefully, I won't get another week's worth of detention.

Voices echoed in the distance, and he furrowed his brows visibly annoyed as he pulled away, patting down his robes. Filch emerged from the shadows, his lantern momentarily blinding me, and behind him stood the twins who shot me a knowing grin, but I was too tired for their dumb games.

"Professor," Filch greeted, looking down at me with distaste. "And this one?" he motioned to me shoving his lantern in my face

"Miss Salazar here seems to be fond of the dirt," Severus sneered, pushing the lantern away from my face, earning a small scoff from me. I rose to my feet, picking up my wand tucking it in my boot as I hid my arms behind my back. I winced turning around to look at my wounds, and sure enough, blood was starting to soak through the fabric. We all walked back to the castle, and I was glad no one was questioning why the Potions Master's cloak was in my possession.

"So you fell, huh?" Fred nudged.

"Tripped, actually, but yeah Snape caught me."

"Of course he did," the twins smirked, and discreetly they exchanged Sickles, and I shot them a dirty look, I didn't even want to know.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I barked silently.

"Nothing~" they cooed walking ahead of me—bunch of idiots. We split after reaching for the castle, and I followed Sev back to his classroom.

"Am I free to go now?" I asked.

"No," he said calmly, turning to me. Closing the distance between us, he slipped his fingers underneath the fabric of his cloak prying it off my shoulders. Once out of the way, he took his time inspecting my wounds and I bit my bottom lip, hoping he wouldn't have noticed. But Severus noticed everything. "Sit," he ordered as he walked into the ingredient storage, rummaging around till he found what he was looking for. I took a seat on the edge of his desk, willing to test his patience, but once he came back out, he said nothing.

I stared at the small vial of clear liquid, and whatever sassy retort I had in mind, I kept it to myself, not quite wanting to anger the beast. With a pipette, he dripped the contents onto my arm and within seconds the wounds closed, and I stared in awe. "Wow, that's amazing," I whispered. "Did you brew it?"

"No..." he trailed off, but he seemed adamant on keeping the contents of the vial to himself, so I didn't pry any further and slid off his desk.

"Thank-"

"Close your eyes," he ordered.

"I am not closing my-" He narrowed his eyes, and I quickly closed my eyes. "Can I at least know why?" He mumbled a few inaudible words and I tilted my head in confusion. I smelled the familiar scent of firewhiskey and something soft brush against my lips. A knock echoed at the door, and my eyes opened, in time to see Severus back away. The door creaked, a second-year student walking into the classroom. Severus turned to the boy, a sea of fire raging in those angry hues of his.

"50 points from Slytherin and one month's detention!"

The boy looked stunned and backed out of the room terrified, and I felt for the young lad. "Isn't that a little excessive?" I asked. "He didn't do anything." Severus was fuming, and his eyes darted to meet mine, his anger still there. "Leave," he barked coldly. His sudden mood change caught me off guard, and I flinched, unable to say much as my head nodded out of instinct. What the hell was his problem? Being all considerate one second and then yelling the next, it was getting annoying, who the hell am I kidding, he's always been like this. I touched my lips still wondering what he had put on them, but I couldn't feel anything. Shit, I still had homework to finish.

I apologize in advance for any mistakes...editing kills me deep down inside where my soul is supposed to be. Anyway! Hope you enjoyed~

Till Next time! 3


	12. XII - Second Task

"Albus! You can't!" I pleaded knowing that even if I begged, my side of the argument didn't stand strong.

"Rynne, it's for the better. And the headmaster didn't make this decision, I did." Remus coaxed. That still didn't make it any better.

"But where will you go, huh? And what will you do?" Remus stared at me, obviously conflicted as he didn't know himself, and then he averted his eyes. He too was lost.

"It was his decision not to take the potion just as it is his decision to leave, Salazar. As you've always said, actions have consequences." Why did Severus have to apply that rule now? I was the one who got hurt, and I could deal with that. They were just minor injuries, and I could hardly feel them anymore. I knew I was being irrational, but I had never seen Remus so happy, despite his condition, and it was heartbreaking.

"For once, I agree," Remus whispered. "Actions do have consequences, and the fact that I hurt you, my conscience will not let me forget that easily. I do not wish to harm my friends," he said sternly, and I bit the inside of my cheek. Albus glanced between the three of us, his eyes contemplative, but I already knew his decision. Remus was a dear friend, but the school's reputation and the student's safety came first, and no matter how much I selfishly pleaded, I knew it would change nothing. And yet I kept trying.

I quieted myself and listened as the three men talked, Severus, seeming a little too overjoyed by the departure of the werewolf. Damn him, if I didn't know any better, he probably planned all of this. And if I did know better, then he most certainly devised this whole lopsided scheme. I stared the brooding man down, and at the mention of having to fill Remus' position, his eyes narrowed in deep interest, his dream job now on the table. That slithery snake, how dare he! Two birds with one stone, was probably what was running through that foul mind of his.

However, Lockhart cleared his throat, and I glanced over my shoulder, having forgotten the man was in here with us as a fellow staff member. So was Minerva, but she remained seated, her hands firmly clasped together, she looked amused if anything. "Considering Severus here has his hands full as Potions Master, it wouldn't be very fair to put such a burden on him. Merlin knows how overwhelmed he is with marking alone. I, however, am a perfect candidate for the full-time position, who better than I, Lockhart, a quite legendary wizard, if I do say, so myself—having faced so many dark wizards and beasts over the years." And case closed. I smirked at Severus, and he glowered both at Lockhart and me, and if looks could kill...but fortunately they couldn't.

Severus looked to me almost pleadingly to make my case against Lockhart, and perhaps put in a good word for him, but he asked for this. I glanced to Lockhart, a genuine smile on my lips and spoke my thoughts. "Why that sounds like a brilliant idea, doesn't it Albus?"

"Indeed," the headmaster agreed, reading the situation like the back of his hand. Sure Remus had not taken the Wolfsbane potion, but it wasn't a coincidence that we happened to be out the night of Remus' transformation, and I was a little upset that Severus put me in the middle of his childish spite. He probably hadn't meant for me to get harmed, but I did, and that was on his hands. Severus' eyes narrowed in contempt, but he composed himself, took a deep breath and nodded in agreement making his way to the door.

Remus had already packed his bags and was ready to head out; he hadn't wasted a single second after shifting back to his human form. I couldn't blame him, if the news of him being a werewolf leaked, his life would be miserable here at Hogwarts, between the parents, students, and the overall judgment of pure-blooded wizards, it would never end. I walked up to him and gave him a great big hug, and I was reluctant to let go because if there was one thing I knew, it was how dreadful being alone could be when crushed by the weight of the world. And for Remus, it was the case; no one liked a werewolf.

Severus cleared his throat, and Remus smiled softly, patting my head. "Till we meet again." I nodded in agreement and waved him goodbye as I took my leave. Breakfast would be starting soon. Severus and I exited the headmaster's office, and once alone in the corridor, he turned around, a withering glare fixated on me. "You shrewd imp," he seethed.

"That is called karma my friend. And messing with someone's life, you're a loathsome jerk! He's got it hard enough as it is."

" _It_ may have escaped your notice Salazar, but life isn't fair!"

"So you take pleasure in kicking someone while they're down?" His eyes narrowed, and he couldn't deny it, as noble and true as he could be, he was also a cruel and spiteful bastard who took pleasure in other's suffering. It was the part of him I had come to love but also despise. Remus hadn't deserved that, no matter how much of a childish grudge Severus held. Speaking of the devil, Severus took a step forward cornering me against the wall, his towering figure intimidating, but I stood my ground challenging him to do this worst.

"Be careful; you're dealing with a Death Eater." His glare was deadly, and my confidence was slowly slipping, he had never looked at me with that much hatred. And with a scoff, he turned on his heels, flourishing his robes as he walked away, the fabric billowing dramatically behind him. I let out the breath I had been holding and pressed a hand to my chest, my heart pounding uncontrollably. My brain delayed the fact that Severus had just threatened me, and now I wasn't sure how to feel. I didn't want to admit it, but I was scared.

I took a seat at the Slytherin table, sipping away slowly at my pumpkin juice, taking the time to read over the daily prophet. I glanced to the high table, and our eyes met, but I was met with only hostility, and I looked away, finding a great deal of interest in the daily prophet. After a minute of brooding and organizing my thoughts—which led me nowhere—I set down the daily prophet and let out a frustrated huff. He even went out of his way to cancel all of my detentions, which should be a good thing, but it wasn't.

The headmaster announced Remus' departure due to personal medical reasons, which was not exactly false, and Lockhart's appointment to full-time Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Lucky us. Viktor took a seat beside me, his hair in chaotic tangles, and I took a deep breath, recomposing myself. "Are you okay?" I asked. He shook his head, but the goofy grin on his lips said otherwise, and he breathed out through his nostrils.

"She's...intoxicating," he whispered, and I grinned knowing instantly who he was referring to.

"Eventful night, I see." He shoved me playfully but nodded, unable to shake that smile off his lips.

"She came onto me, and I guess I should be happy, well I feel happy, but I don't know..." he trailed off.

"Disappointment?" I asked trying to clarify his emotions.

"Actually, a little yes," he grumbled. "I wanted to take it slow with her, but it feels like she's ready for well...everything." I couldn't help but chuckle, finding this discovery quite adorable. "What?"

"It's usually the other way around," I mused.

"Is that weird?"

"I don't think so, and it shows that you want to treasure your relationship, in my opinion, but there's nothing wrong with physical intimacy." Viktor gave me his best puppy eyes, and he engulfed me in a bear hug. I patted his head awkwardly, and he pulled away, his eyes filled with determination.

"Anyway now that that's out of the way, the second task is today, and I wouldn't have gotten here without-"

"I gave you like one tip don't exaggerate," I chuckled.

"Anyway," he repeated. "An underwater challenge, any bright ideas, genius?"

"Simple bubble-head charm could do the trick, possibly, but then-"

"The creatures would get in my way, they're not the friendliest of beasts," he mumbled. "I read so in a book."

"You read a book?" I teased. On a serious note, however, I lent Viktor my time, dedicated to helping him succeed the next challenge. If it meant skipping breakfast, then I was okay with that, I didn't want to be in the great hall, to begin with. I was decent at charms and transfiguration, but the same could not be said for Viktor, he was charming, and a good friend, but he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed. I sat down across from him browsing through textbooks trying to find the charm that would best help him.

I glanced up at Viktor, his brows furrowed in concentration as he skimmed the textbook. It was rare to see him so concentrated, and I don't know why, but seeing him so determined to win warmed my heart. Viktor wasn't the wittiest, but he had a strong, durable body. Speed wouldn't be an issue, but he was still human, and a wand wouldn't do him much good if he were overwhelmed by Grindylows but–I found it. Tapping the page furiously, Viktor leaned over reading the page I was currently on.

"A shark? I don't think I'd be able to pull off a full body transfiguration."

"You don't have to," I smirked. "You don't need the speed of a shark, all you need is to be able to breathe underwater, and a threat to be reckoned with, which I doubt anything in that lake will chase after you, shark face." He nodded skeptically understanding what I was saying, and I could see the gears running, along with his apprehension. "Don't worry I'll be there." Viktor's eyes softened, and he nodded giving me a thankful nod.

Since the Second Task was taking place today, all classes had been canceled, and I headed out to the black lake in hopes of finding the Giant squid again, but I had a feeling it was only a one-time ordeal. However, I had one other goal in mind, and that was to scope out the challenge for the second task. There was nothing out of the ordinary per se, except for the three spectator stands emerging from the lake. A gust of wind rushed by, and I closed my eyes drowning in the momentary silence of nature. Sometimes fresh air was all one needed to feel better.

I stood on the edge of the dock, the wood creaking under the pressure of my weight. I dreaded this feeling inside me, the icy cold embrace of fingers gripping my heart, slowly crushing it. I stared at the gentle ripple of the waves rolling in, although the sky was cloudy, small rays of light shimmered down upon the lake, the view breathtaking. And I was snapped out of my reverie as a trio of children near the shore caught my attention, their voices too loud to zone out. "Is there a problem?" I asked. The three of them looked at me, and upon seeing my Slytherin emblem, they stood on guard, and I chuckled. "Don't worry; I won't poison you," I teased.

The girl, however, pushed her fears aside and stepped forward, her eyes pleading for help. "Can you help us?" And I frowned watching as she teared up, this is why I hated children, always so quick to cry. Out of the blue, she grabbed my hand her two friends eyeing me warily. "I dropped my brooch in the water, and I wanted to retrieve it, but a wave swept it under," she sobbed. "It's a family heirloom, and my parents will kill me!"

"Ah, I feel you," I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck, Salazar's locket resting underneath my attire. I glanced at the lake knowing the danger within, considering I had spent the past hour with Viktor researching the black lake for transfiguration spells. At the same time, however, I understood her situation well. I put on my big sister pants and ruffled the little girl's hair and nodded. "I just have to retrieve it, right? No biggie."

The girl nodded with a small smile, gratitude flowing from her lips. I took off my cloak throwing it aside, along with my combat boots and socks. I didn't feel comfortable going for a swim with my skirt on, but alas, life sucks. I grabbed my wand and cast a quick bubble-head charm, diving into the depths of the lake.

I was thankful the girl had dropped her brooch rather close to the shore, it meant it wouldn't have gotten too far, and my assumption was correct as a blue light glimmered in the darkness of the lake. I swam down, past the ancient ruins, making sure not to injure myself as I reached for the heirloom. I hated water, my body felt so sluggish, and my reflexes were basically that of a sloth. I pocketed the brooch, and using the ancient ruins as a stepping stool, I propelled myself up, but a scaly hand latched onto my ankle, and I glanced down, my gut screaming danger as my instincts kicked in.

I was surrounded by dozens of merpeople, and I didn't hesitate to whip out my wand, firing a spell at the merman. He was blasted away, and I took my chance to escape but had to make a quick halt, backtracking slightly as a trident zoomed past me, grazing my stomach, tearing the bottom half of my dress shirt. I spun in a full circle, trying to figure out a plan of action, but I didn't get the time as one of the merpeople swam at me, swinging its trident in a full arc. I kicked back quickly evading a blow to my throat, but in exchange, my bubble-head charm popped and now, it was a race to the surface.

That, however, proved to be a challenge as they continuously took turns attacking me, and I found my lungs slowly depleting, my brain unable to think clearly. A merman collided against me, and I was sent further down into the depths of the lake, small bubbles of precious air escaping me. I kicked the merman away, only to have another pin me against the ruins with its trident. I flailed madly struggling to escape, but my body was becoming less and less responsive, as my oxygen was now depleted.

I couldn't think. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't feel. My wand slipped from my grasp, and I knew I should have prioritized my source of oxygen instead of trying to dodge my attackers. But it wasn't my intent to kill them either. Those thoughts seemed trivial now as I glanced to the surface of the lake, the dim light of hope slowly fading to black. Then a bright light consumed my vision, and I closed my eyes. The merman who had me pinned let go of its trident and quickly swam away.

A newfound determination was instilled in me, and I kicked myself off the corroded pillar, swimming to the surface, so close yet so far. And then I realized I was sinking, my body had given up on me, and I glanced to my right, the brooch slipping from my hand, descending alongside me. A hand took hold of the brooch, and I closed my eyes, scolding myself for being naive.

I gasped, rolling over, coughing up mouthfuls of water, my eyes tearing up as I struggled to catch my breath. At this point, I was practically vomiting out water, and it wasn't a pleasant feeling. Tears streaked down my face as I realized what had just happened. I heard Severus shouting in the distance, despite him kneeling right beside me, one hand resting on my back rubbing subconscious circles. I couldn't stop coughing, but I sat up noticing that Severus' eyes weren't on me. He was yelling at the trio, stripping points and slapping detentions left and right, berating the children to no end.

But in the end, he gave the brooch back to the girl, and I stared at the grass trying to cough up the water in my lungs. "And you! You-you-" He let out a frustrated groan. It was the first time I had heard him at a loss for words; he was undoubtedly furious. I stared at him in a daze, his words going in one ear and out the next. I couldn't get over the fact that I had died, my heart had stopped beating even if it was for mere seconds, it was still scary to think about it, and it hadn't fully sunk in yet. Before I realized it, Severus had grown quiet, and I glanced at him, his brows furrowed in anger, but mostly worry.

I rubbed my hands together, staring at his hair, wet locks hugging his face, droplets of water dripping down onto the grass. What do I say? Should I even say anything? Apologizing to Severus didn't always have the expected effect, but still, I apologized. "Sorry," I whispered weakly, my voice hoarse and unwilling to cooperate. He let out a long frustrated sigh through his nostrils, looking irritated, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he cupped my cheek brushing a stray strand of hair to the side.

"Well no matter, I found you on time." I tilted my head at that, unsure what he meant by that, had he been looking for me? He threw my cloak over my shoulder, and closed the distance between us, pressing his hand to my forehead. My whole body went limp, and I fell forward into his arms, unsure of what was happening. Shocked and terrified, I tried to push him away, but whatever he had done, my body was utterly unresponsive. Everything went black, and I panicked. Oh my god. Is this where I die? Again?

Fred and George hollered for students to place their bets, the crowd cheering and laughing as they took the boats to the spectator stands. "Welcome to the second task! Something has been taken from each of our champions here today which lies at the bottom of this lake. They will have precisely one hour to retrieve what has been stolen from them." The champions lined up, the crowd momentarily silent as they awaited the sound of the cannon. Loud gasps went around as the cannon fired, the clock now ticking as the champions dove beneath the black surface of the lake.

Viktor leaped out of the water, the transfiguration spell only half complete as only his face had turned to that of a shark. He had yet to see Rynne today, and as well as he knew the girl, she was not one to make idle promises. The champions swam down, the deeper they swam, the colder it got, their vision growing darker by the minute. Half an hour into the second task, Fleur was eliminated, leaving only Cedric and Viktor competing for first place. Cedric made good use of his vast array of spells to ward off danger, whereas Viktor swam freely, nothing able to defy the terrifying creature he had become, a single snap of his jaw would tear through any who dared to come in his way.

As Viktor approached the depths of the Lake, he found Rynne, her foot bound by a vine to the sea floor. Cedric shot a spell to free Cho of her bind, and Viktor wasted no time in ripping the vine with his sharp teeth. Taking hold of Rynne's hand and swimming for the surface, Viktor zoomed past Cedric _—_ at an inhuman speed _—_ and emerged from the water.

I gasped feeling a rush of chills run through my body. It took me a moment to figure out where I was. My breaths were ragged and shallow, and Viktor chuckled as he transformed back into a human, throwing my arm around his shoulders helping me to one of the platforms. I was getting tired of this lake. "Thank you," I whispered as we reached the platform. He hoisted me up, and Severus grabbed my arm pulling me onto the wooden planks, Viktor helping himself up. I felt like a slug, my mind, and my body too slow to process what had happened today.

Severus removed my cloak and threw a towel on top of my head, and I stared at him, his eyes seeming softer now, and I hoped he wasn't still too angry at me. He averted his eyes, and I wanted to make a snarky remark about how he could have just left me in the lake if he was planning on putting me back in, but I had a feeling that would not end well, so I shut up. I stared blankly at him until he winced, I reached for his arm but thought better of it, and without looking back at me, he left. I bit my bottom lip, Tom had called on him again.

"What's his deal?" Viktor whispered throwing his towel on top of my head.

"Hell if I know," I grumbled, drying my hair while the second towel rested around my neck. Girls flocked to Viktor in order to congratulate him, and I took that opportunity to leave, wanting to take a nice hot bath. Fred and George took me back to shore, and I headed back to the castle by myself. Today had sucked hard. I entered the prefect's bathroom, only a towel wrapped around my form, and I stared at Fleur already in the bath enjoying her time with the bubbles. "Sorry, I thought the bath was empty."

"Would you like to take a bath together?" She suggested with a smile and realizing I was being childish considering the bath was large enough to hold at the least 30 people, and I slid in sitting across from the French girl. Even though I was already 22, Fleur's body put me to shame, she looked so mature, and glancing down at myself, I liked my curves, my thickness equally distributed, but I felt childish. Perhaps it was the way I held myself if anything the girls from Beauxbatons were pure elegance, and I was glad I was never sent to school there, I would have never fit in.

Myrtle appeared from under the water, taking some of the bubbles with her, which was strange considering she was a ghost, but there were a lot of things I couldn't explain. She sneered at Fleur, but upon looking at me, she smiled. "Did you have fun today?" she asked.

"I wouldn't call it fun," I mumbled. Fleur chuckled in response, nodding her head sadly at my response. I pulled heaps of bubbles towards me, dipping my head underwater to get the muck out of it, and just cool down, today had been a trying day, and I wasn't over the fact that I almost died. No, I did die. It's not something you can just brush off and say 'well I'm alive, so it's all fine' because it wasn't fine. At least though, I didn't seem to have a newly found fear of water, which was good. We spent our time in peaceful silence as I organized my thoughts mulling with the bubbles.

Fleur finally stood up and seeing her perfect body, I looked away blushing feeling as though I had seen something forbidden which was weird, considering I had done some shit in my youth. "Well, have a good time."

"Thanks," I mumbled in response, relieved once I was left to myself. I leaned back, resting my head on my shoulder as I gazed at the bubbles. I heard whispers coming from afar, and sat up straight frowning. Was someone else in here?

"Whos' there?" I asked. Myrtle froze and retreated beneath the water, holding her ears. The voice kept on whispering to me, and now I was wary. The voice sounded so familiar, but I couldn't place my finger on it.

"Do you know who's speaking?" I asked Myrtle. She shook her head and let out a high pitched scream, diving into a wall and disappearing. Alright then. I felt uncomfortable now and grabbed my towel, wrapping it around my frame. I followed the voice as the whispers grew closer and closer, and my heart sank into my boots. Fear. Why was I so fearful. I scurried out of the prefect's bathroom following the whispers as they beckoned for me to follow, I kept my wand at the ready, but it was unlikely for anyone to be out and about at this hour.

I was originally going to run to the Slytherin common room, but the hallway was flooded with water, and I didn't want to slip. Instead, I tripped and landed with a splash on the floor, and at my feet laid a motionless body, and I squeaked quickly scooting away. She was a second year Slytherin, her eyes wide with fright, cold and lifeless, and I touched her hand, her freezing flesh forcing me to retract my hand. I sent a patronus to the headmaster assuming that Severus would already be off school grounds, on his way to meet his little highness. My snake slithered down the hallway and within minutes, the headmaster appeared, Severus by his side.

"I-I found her here, and I didn't know what to do," I whispered caressing her hand.

"There's nothing you could have done," Severus assured kneeling to inspect the girl, water soaking into the fabric of his robes. Why was he still here? I glanced to the headmaster who read my mind and offered me a grim look followed by a shrug.

"Is she...dead?" I asked, my eyes trailing between Severus to the cold and motionless girl on the floor. Severus shook his head, his eyes trailing to my chest, and hugging the towel closer to my body, I shoved his head away feeling very naked at the moment. Minerva arrived only moments later, a dreadful look on her face, and I couldn't blame her, it was quite a sight. Gilderoy was quick to follow, stumbling and almost taking Severus down with him, and I wished that Remus were here, he would be of more use and this baboon over there playing at Charades.

"The chamber has been opened once more," Albus sighed, rubbing his temples. Lockhart cleared his throat, and upon seeing the body, his eyes darkened, looking like a girl about to faint.

"Gilderoy, it seems as though the beast has been unleashed," Severus taunted.

"Is that so," the man replied tugging at the collar of his robes. "Ha, the chamber, well nothing gets past me." That boyish grin of his made me want to punch him so badly, but I kept myself under control not wishing to draw attention to myself because I was the only one in a wet towel.

"Well then, we can depend on your legendary skills to get this issue under wraps no?" Minerva said, a sly smirk etching at her lips, and I couldn't help but smile faintly. Legendary indeed.

"Your moment has finally come," Severus mused.

"I...shall go prepare!" he announced chuckling nervously, his face growing paler by the second. Minerva and Severus exchanged glances, a triumphant victory reflected in their eyes, and I couldn't help the amusement forming on my lips. That should be interesting.

"Miss Salazar," Minerva frowned, and I cursed myself mentally. So much for no one noticing my presence, and now all eyes were effectively on me. My cheeks flushed red, and the older woman looked me up and down as if noting my every flaw. I felt exposed. She shook her head slowly at me in disapproval, and I bit my bottom lip. Severus shot her a warning glare, taking off his robes in the process draping them over my shoulders.

There seemed to be a lot of tension in the air, and indeed it wasn't my imagination, stares were directed in every direction, even the headmaster. And it wasn't just because of the girl. His usual mirthful hues were replaced with coldness, and it sent a chill down my spine. Pomfrey came at the right time, bustling and murmuring all sorts of words to herself...some rather obscene. She cut right through the tension, and as if on cue, Albus spoke.

"For the time being, we must keep this contained, and I trust you will stay on the lookout for signs," He warned, his eyes focusing on me. But what he really meant was for me to tread carefully, and to be on my guard, at all times if needed. I nodded my head in assent, not planning on becoming a petrified mummy any time soon.

"Let's go," Severus ordered pulling me up to my feet. He and Minerva glared at each other, and once we turned the corner I looked at him with scrutiny, but I didn't pry. Instead, my mind went elsewhere.

"Why are you here?" I demanded.

"Whatever do you mean by that?" he said coolly, but he couldn't pretend, not with me at least. I saw right through him.

"Your mark..." I trailed off hoping I wouldn't have to spell it out for him, and then his expression dropped, and he averted his eyes, acting as though he had been caught red-handed. "You didn't go. Is that why they're upset with you?"

"You ask too many questions," he sighed. And that was his roundabout way of telling me, yes, but Severus had broken a promise today. A promise to the one man who saw the capability of his redemption, but as curious as I was, I wouldn't be stepping on that landmine, not yet at least. However, I didn't have to. "It has been a long time, and with time, things change. There's a piece of the puzzle that didn't factor into the equation...my equation," he trailed off. It was rather vague, but it was better than nothing, and so I nodded in understanding and now was time to set off my very own land mine.

"Are you still angry at me? About this morning I mean, you have every right to be angry at me for the lake and thank you. It took a while to sink in, but...yeah thank you." He shook his head, inhaling as he let out one long steady breath.

"Angry? No. Furious? Yes! You're bold yet naive, and probably the biggest reckless fool I have ever met!" he snapped. And here was the explosion. "Come to me next time," he whispered, and I fell silent, unsure what to say. I hadn't expected that my imagination went more along the lines of him raising his voice berating me in an empty corridor while the paintings whined for the professor to quiet down, perhaps a few points taken, and definitely a detention, or two.

I didn't care if perhaps he loved someone else, or had another lover. At the moment I didn't care one bit, and perhaps I should have been a Gryffindor for my silly burst of courage, but I wasn't. Because at that moment, it wasn't courage that drove me to my actions, it was love, and love makes a girl do crazy things. And so I leaned into Severus, my heels coming off the ground as I pressed my lips to his. It wasn't quite as magical as I had expected, but that was probably because he wasn't kissing back. My heart throbbed, not out of anxiousness, but pain, I had just been crushed by the weight of the world.

Almost instantly I fell back down to the floor, to reality, my heels firmly rooted on the stone floors, mortification washing over me. Severus was silent. He didn't sigh, or even breathe, he didn't say a word or even raise his voice, he was like a statue, and I cursed myself for trusting my gut, my heart and everything I hoped and believed in. I took a few steps back, unable to look at him, my hands shaking slightly. I was embarrassed and mumbling half-assed apologies. I took my leave hoping to be mature about this, but once I turned the corner, I made a mad run for the Slytherin common room, tears streaming down my face, without a hint of them stopping.

I bumped into Lockhart and covered my face, and I didn't care nor question him about the suitcase he was dragging behind him, despite having caught him red-handed. I quickly sidestepped him and made my way to my common room, taking a deep breath once I was in the clear. Entering my room, the other girls stared at me with concern, they were nice girls, but I didn't want to speak or even look at anything, so I burrowed under my covers, snuggling Snape's robes, crying like an idiot over my stupidity.

 **Holy shit this was a long chapter bleh**

 **Hope you enjoyed!**


	13. XIII - Voices

I awoke with a gasp, a bead of sweat rolling down my brow. Sitting up, my hands met the sheets which were moist with perspiration, and I sighed. I wasn't sure if it was Tom's doing or my own subconscious telling me that I should go jump off a bridge, but I definitely had a nightmare despite being unable to remember what I had dreamt. I rubbed the back of my neck in annoyance glancing at the clock, it was two am, the rest of the girls were still asleep, and I snuck out of the room, heading down to the common area. The fireplace was still ablaze, the flames flickering in the soft breeze of the dungeons. I took a seat on the couch and clasped my hands together contemplating my next steps.

I had endless questions swimming through my mind, but not a single answer in sight, and now I was lost. I wish I hadn't been courageous. I wish I had never fallen in love. I couldn't have picked a worse man to love, except perhaps Tom, but that man was in a league of his own. I don't know why I thought it was a good idea, I'd known him for well over eight years now, and I know him better than most, and deep down I knew this might or would happen, but I still did it anyway. Which begs the question, why? Why would I stick my neck out like that? Sometimes I wondered what was wrong with me.

After that embarrassing rejection last night, I made no attempt to leave my room, no one ever did ask what was wrong, but I'm glad they hadn't. Slytherins may be jerks, but when it came to taking care of their own, they were definitely dependable. The girls brought up my food, and I personally didn't care how many classes I missed. It's not like I was a student, to begin with, and even though Albus had tried to speak with me a few times, I didn't want to talk to anyone. Talking to Albus would probably relieve some weight off my chest, there was something about him that was very comforting, but I didn't want to be bailed out of jail. Something about suffering the consequences of my actions and wallowing in self-pity, and yeah that sounded about right.

One could argue that I was being childish, but frankly, I didn't care. Also because I was almost certain I was depressed, and my motivation to do anything went under the bridge, leaving me trapped in my bed for days on end. I had time to mull things over, but none of my thoughts were optimistic. That night kept playing back over in my head, and then my thoughts lingered to what Severus probably thought of me. Ugh, it was embarrassing, I couldn't face him, not just because I was scared shitless, but I didn't want to face him as he ripped into me about how much of an idiot I was. I was acutely aware of my stupidity as it was, I was reminded on several occasions of my bold yet naive nature. I didn't need him to rub it in my face.

I had never been scared of ruining a relationship before because I knew I would get over it, I never got overly attached to anyone, except Severus. I would never admit it to him, but at this point, he had become a part of me, and if I lost him, it would crush me. Of course though, it never quite crossed my minds that losing someone physically wasn't the only way to lose someone.

"Rynne you've been in here for four days, enough is enough!" One of the girls sneered grabbing my arm. "And I am also tired of having to carry your food." They all ganged up on me, and a three on one wasn't very fair, I didn't even have my wand with me. Before I knew it, I was squeaky clean and being dragged into the common room. "You need some fresh air, and we're tired of watching you brood in bed." With that, I was kicked out of my common room, the door slamming shut behind me. What just happened?

"Traitors!" I shouted at the door with a pout; I had forgotten how cold the dungeons were. Unsure what to do, I snuck around afraid of bumping into the one person I knew would just shatter me. And I didn't want to pick up the pieces so I would avoid any sharp objects for the time being. I can't believe they kicked me out though, and I didn't even know that was possible. Now my sadness was replaced with irritation. I could still be in bed right about now—dirty snakes.

"Why are you sneaking around?" Fred whispered poking my shoulder. I jumped holding in a scream and smacked him hard, but he didn't seem to mind, and George snickered.

"Because I can," I mumbled.

"All the girls are worried since you wouldn't come out of your room, are you okay?"

"Peachy," I scoffed

"Good because someone needs to calm Snape down, that greasy bat has been taking points left and right for the smallest things-"

"I got 10 points taken away for simply breathing!" George cried out.

"What makes you think I would make it any better?"

"You're the only one he actually likes," Fred smiled patting my shoulder.

"More like tolerates," I corrected finding myself trapped between the two of them. Damn it; I didn't want to be here right now, much less speaking of the devil.

"Well he's in a bloody foul mood when you're not around Rynne, so your task is to take one for the team, and the whole school. Points are dropping and so are grades. It's chaos."

"No, I'm not going near him ever again. Besides I'm sure it's not that bad, right?" The two gave me a blank stare, and I bit my bottom lip. For Merlin's sake.

"Please, for us?" They pleaded. "It's not good for a relationship to end like this," George scolded.

"We're not in a relationship!" I said rather quickly. Fred wrapped an arm around my shoulder and grinned.

"I don't know what you see in that old greasy bat, but he's clearly head over heels for you, so you gotta chase after him."

"What is wrong with you two?" I grumbled.

"Our mother said that you two were always close, so it was bound to happen, and some other things."

"Right, Molly..." I shook my head. "But it's too lat-Wait does that mean you two knew all along? Oh my god, that explains so much!"

"We know everything," they winked, and I smiled knowing that, no, they did not know everything. The two goofballs patted my back, and somehow I felt relieved hearing them say this, I wouldn't have to hide anything from them. And of course, Molly would go around yapping about Severus and I. Ugh.

"Alright well let's entertain that idea. Assume I wanted to make up with him, how am I supposed to do that? When he's grumpy, he usually avoids me."

"Well, first thing is first. Why don't you start attending your classes?" They both suggested. They noted the uncertainty in my eyes and grinned. That didn't sound like a great idea, to be honest. I went to class like suggested, and I wasn't wearing my uniform, so I stuck out like a sore thumb. However, when I came through the door, no one said a word, and Severus didn't either, so I took a seat near the back of the room, wishing to stay as far away as I could. I glanced up from time to time, and his annoyed scowl was the same as always. Good to see some things hadn't changed.

I couldn't face him so when he looked my way, I took particular interest in my notebook pretending to be taking notes. I wouldn't say he was ignoring me, but he was keeping his distance as far as I could tell. However, I proved myself wrong as I glanced up, his figure missing at the front of the class, and feeling his presence behind me, I froze, keeping my eyes on my...doodles...fuck. I crossed my ankles and held my breath prepared to be berated in front of the class. But I just heard a small huff, and my notebook slammed shut on its own rather harshly, my hands retreating to my side immediately. Okay, so he was a little moody.

I was at a loss for what to do, and no I couldn't just walk up to him and have a conversation, it doesn't work like that. Well, it does, but it just doesn't! Before I knew it, class ended, and it would have been the perfect time to talk, had I not been the first one out the door. I sat at the Slytherin table, my head buried in my arms. I had been in this type of situation before, but talking to Severus didn't always pan out the way one might think. It could go wrong so very quickly, and I don't think I was up for that. What was I supposed to say anyway? Just walk up to him and be like 'oh yeah sorry about kissing you' because no, it was not a mistake. Feeling a hand on my head, I turned to face the person(s), staring at the twins looming over me, their smiles wide and hopeful.

"See," Fred began. "He hasn't taken any points today."

"So?" I gestured with my hands, frustrated by this situation, why was I so childish?

"So we're making progress," they assured taking a seat on either side of me. I nodded resting my head back down on the table. And somehow I ended up in the abandoned bathroom, sprawled out on the dusty floor, pouting. Myrtle lay next to me, humming quietly, and I was sure she was tone deaf, but I didn't mind.

"I assume you had a crush once, right?" Myrtle stopped whistling, and then she sat up looking somewhat sorrowful, perhaps I shouldn't have asked that.

"I did...he never noticed me though," with those words she glanced to me, and her smile grew wide. "So I stalked him and made him notice me." Her maniacal giggle made me chuckle, and I shook my head at her. But she made a valid point; all I had to do was get his attention. Well, that was easier said than done.

"Myrtle, you are a genius!" I bid her goodbye, and before I knew it, I spent the day stalking Severus. Managing to hide whenever he glanced over his shoulder, I couldn't muster up the courage to come any closer, and I had a suspicion that he knew I was tailing him, but the best I ever got out of him were glances over his shoulder. This went on longer than I had hoped for, and whenever an opportunity arose, I would either chicken out or there would be students nearby, and a scandal was the last thing this school or I needed.

Turning the corner, however, Severus was gone, and I frowned walking down the corridor, his presence no longer lingering in the air and I sighed rubbing my temples. So much for that. I roamed the corridors engulfed in mindless thoughts of insecurities, the twins eventually caught up to me, and I turned to face them, a defeated look on my face.

"No luck?" They asked, and I nodded.

"No luck. Even if I did manage to muster up the courage, there are too many students in the corridors, it would just be awkward, and I would end up chickening out. He also canceled all my detentions, and I can't just walk in there, I'll be in his classroom and at his mercy, it's his home advantage." The twins exchanged a sly grin and pulled me into a close huddle, the three of us forming a deformed triangle. Fred reached inside his cloak pulling out a blank piece of parchment and cleared his throat.

"Well since you, Rynne, are making this so bloody complicated. We have just the thing for you," he smirked tapping the blank piece of parchment. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." The map came to life, ink running through the veins of the paper, and I stared in amazement at the map of Hogwarts.

"I-Is that a map of the castle–and is that, Viktor?" I stared at Igor's name as he walked circles around Viktor, feeling more than a little upset, it couldn't have been a good conversation.

"Yep, everyone,"

"Where they are,"

"What they're doing,"

Every minute,"

"Of every day," Fred finished, and my eyes trailed down to the pair of footsteps labeled Severus Snape, pacing around his classroom, teaching his first years.

"And you, our humble friend, need this map," they both said nodding their heads.

"I mean this is amazing, don't get me wrong, and probably prohibited, but why would I need this map exactly?"

"Snape always patrols the halls after hours,"

"And with this little beauty,"

"You can track him down,"

"And most importantly,"

"Avoid Filch," they smirked.

"Okay, can you please stop finishing each other's sentences, it's getting a little freaky," I chuckled, my index finger running over the mapped out corridors, and in my head, I was already plotting.

"No can do, it's a twin thing," they smirked wrapping an around each other's shoulder.

"I'm sure," I hummed thoughtfully, my eyes focused on Severus' name tag, I didn't have an excuse anymore, and it was touching how much those two goofballs cared about our...relationship, so they called it. One thing was for sure, I didn't want to lose one of my only friends because of something as stupid as kissing him, even in my head it sounded silly.

"Oh, and to wrap things up, mischief managed," Fred said tapping the map once more with his wand. The ink faded to nothingness as the parchment turned blank, and folding it neatly, he tucked it into the inner pocket of my cloak and offered an encouraging wink. "Good luck," they both smiled, and I rolled my eyes at the unsaid meaning of those words. Well, I guess I better not let them down.

And so I found myself at an unlikely table, sitting across none other than Hagrid, the half-giant himself. It was a bit disturbing that his home was so cozy, and welcoming, albeit his dog got a little too drooly at times, but his tea was unimaginably good. He was a giant of many talents, that was for sure. He also took the time to listen to me and my concerns, and I knew he wouldn't be so quick to judge, unlike Minerva. That, however, would not stop his disapproving head shake at the man I chose to fall in love with, he reminded me of my father, except my father was all for it. He had expressed great trust in Severus as my _father_ countless times. In an almost desperate attempt to give his go-ahead. Except my father failed to notice that Sev wasn't exactly interested. And that was when the awkward dinner night happened, the one we all agreed never to talk about.

I figured that before night fell, I could mentally prepare myself with inspiring and encouraging words, but everyone offered the same advice, considering I had placed Severus in the position of the mystery man. And everyone spoke of him like a normal human teenage boy, but he wasn't, and so I got absolutely nowhere. Hagrid had given me his time, but even he was at a loss when it came to Severus, the man was just an unpredictable enigma.

And now I was back at the place where I felt the calmest, sitting on the shore of the black lake, feet dipping into the water, gentle waves massaging my toes. I let out a sigh and lied down, my arms loosely sprawled on the sand. It felt weird to think that I had drowned here, and had died momentarily, yet the memory of it did not haunt me to the point of a post-traumatic stress disorder. The sun was beginning to set, and I knew I should have gone back inside, but I didn't want to move. I closed my eyes, listening to the soft breeze as I contemplated my plan of action. Filch usually patrolled in the same pattern, it wasn't him I was worried about, it was Mrs. Nor-Severus loomed over me, and I froze. Or maybe no map will be required.

I sat up and glanced to my cloak and boots; it wasn't too late to make a run for it. But nope, Severus took a seat beside me, and the uncomfortable silence persisted. I could not bring myself to move or even look at him. Where were Fred and George when I needed them the most! Anyone, help me! He hadn't said anything yet, that was either good or bad, but I was leaning towards bad. "Still frequenting the black lake, I see." For a man that had about a whole two minutes to gather his thoughts, that's what he chose? I bit my tongue and brought my knees closer to my chest. His voice didn't sound patronizing, so I managed to let the comment slip out of my thoughts.

"Are you ignoring me?" he asked, annoyance now creeping up in his voice. Darn. I glanced back to my cloak, could I outrun him? Probably not. "I'll take that as a yes," he whispered. No! Well, yes? The very Severus thing to do in this situation would have been to walk away, but he didn't. "Or perhaps..." he cleared his throat. "Reality has finally sunk in. And your lapse of judgment confirmed, that yes, it was all a mistake on your part..?" He ventured. But that is where he was wrong, well, he wasn't entirely wrong, it had indeed been a lapse in judgment, that I will admit. But it wasn't a mistake, and I knew that the tall, brooding Potions Master was the equivalent of a brick wall. Nothing could get through, and if they tried, they would just run into the wall and eventually give up, walking away. That was how Severus preferred his encounters, brief and forgettable, and I was the exact opposite. Still, how he had phrased it made me want to punch him.

"Mistakes happen, and I make a lot of them," I agreed. "But kissing you wasn't one of them." I mentally threw myself in lava. That's it my life is over. "But I'm still sorry, I shouldn't have." When Severus didn't respond, I scurried for my cloak and boots, and without looking back, made for the castle. Ugh. Double ugh! I wanted to blame myself, but Severus never saying a word did not exactly fuel my confidence, it always left me filled with doubt, and the tense silence was unbearable.

I didn't go to dinner and instead, sat alone in my room, the other girls out and about in the castle. I opened the map and tapped my wand against the parchment. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." The map came to life, and my eyes searched every corridor, dinner had already started, yet Severus was nowhere to be found. Albus was pacing in his office, and Severus, was indeed not on the map, was he still at the black lake? I shook my head and tapped on the map again. "Mischief managed." I didn't think the map would come to much use now, Severus and I had somewhat...spoken, it wasn't very productive, but it was better than nothing.

It had been years since I last had a good dream, one that didn't involve anyone, just puffy clouds and a serene sky full of warm colors. I had never felt so relaxed, and I wondered if it had anything to do with the fact that I finally told Severus what had been weighing on my chest: it had not been a mistake. Of course, there was a lot more I wanted to or could have said, but they were minor. It had been a proper and somewhat roundabout confession, and Severus could do with it as he pleased.

 _Come to me_ a voice whispered and everything at that moment felt off. _Come, come. See me_. I opened my eyes, and sat up slowly, was that a part of my dream?

 _Come to me_. And nope. It was that same voice I had heard in the bath... and the girl. Would it go after another student? I rolled out of bed, stubbing my toe, but biting my bottom lip, I silence myself, knowing that waking up my peers wouldn't do much good. The barrage of questions would be too much for me to handle. I grabbed my wand and the map off my nightstand table and exited the common room.

 _Rynne_. It knew my name...charming. I wonder what kind of magic this was if it was magic, to begin with. Now in the darkness of the corridors, I whipped out my wand and illuminated my surroundings taking great care in opening the map. Walking down the halls, my eyes were fixated on Filch's name, and his evil cat. Did they never sleep? Was he out all night in the hopes of catching students, because every offense intended, that's creepy. My first instinct was the bathrooms, there had been water on the floor that night, and perhaps tonight wouldn't be different. However, Filch was blocking my path, and I would have to make a long detour, but that's a risk I would have to take. Because it didn't matter to him whether I was a student or not, he would still find a way to make my life a living hell for about two hours.

Unfortunately for me, I had been so tunneled vision on Filch, and I had forgotten that Severus too roamed the halls. And now I found myself trapped between the two. I would have to pick between the two greater evils. And suddenly Filch didn't sound like such a bad idea and taking another good look at the map, I whispered "mischief managed" and closed the piece of parchment, the tip of my wand fading into darkness. And so with great nerve-wracking anxiousness, I walked in Severus' direction expecting to bump into him any second now. My heart beat irregularly fast, and somehow I hadn't come into contact with him yet.

I could hear Filch's footsteps in the distance, but it was too late to check the map, and I panicked. As a dim light came into view, I felt a hand wrap around my wrist pulling me against the wall. My first instinct was to scream, but a hand clamped tightly against my mouth, a faint muffle escaping me. However, I calmed down, soon realizing who said hand belonged to, and the fact that Mrs. Norris casually strolled by, her tail swaying impatiently. Severus wrapped an arm around my waist, and silently his robes draped over my figure, and I was plunged in darkness, the only light, dimly filtered through the fabric. Filch followed close behind, his lantern causing a bit of ruckus from the paintings, but we went undetected. And after he disappeared down the hall, Severus let go of my mouth, and I stepped away taking a deep breath.

 _Come to me_.

Remembering why I was out here, to begin with, I turned trying to find the source of the voice, but Sev stopped me. Even in the dark, his precision was impeccable, and it was frightful how quick he was to react. His hold on my arm was firm, but not enough to hurt, and I clicked my tongue. "And what may you be doing roaming the halls at this hour, Salazar?" The same soft yet raspy whisper swam around in my head, beckoning for me to follow, and It was oddly irresistible, I was drawn to the voice, and all logic and instincts that told me not to follow were thrown out the window.

"There's this voice-I'm not crazy I swear..." I mumbled, already imagining the look on his face, even in the dark that condescending look of his never failed to cross my mind. The voice struck again, and this time Severus let go of my arm, so I went on my way, but I could hear the faint shuffle of his robes as he followed behind me. Then it finally hit me; the only reason I could understand these words was that they were being spoken in Parseltongue, which meant only one thing: Tom. There was no way he could be inside the castle though, that would make little sense, and he's not that bold...yet.

Soon enough, my feet hit water, and like the previous week, it came from the bathroom, my assumption had been correct. The brooding Potions Master followed at my heels, his hand wrapping around my wrist as we neared another petrified body. I glanced back at Severus annoyed that he always felt the urge to hold my wrist when danger was nearby. Sensing my irritation, he let go, and I kneeled down inspecting the body, another student, he looked young, maybe a first or second year, was it targeting children? Well, they were all children, to be fair. Albus would want to be informed as soon as possible.

Severus beat me to it as his patronus slithered down the hall, heading straight for the headmaster, and I only got a slight glimpse of it, but something didn't add up. "Does a doe usually have a such a pointy tail?" I received a glare in return for my comment and retreated defensively unsure what I had said to anger him.

The boy cradled a journal along with a cloak that apparently didn't belong to him, and I frowned. I opened the journal and found it blank, and looking up, I spotted Myrtle peeking out of a bathroom stall, looking utterly miserable. "What happened?" I asked.

She shook her head, and began sobbing, then she screamed, a loud piercing and shrill cry and amidst the ruckus, flew past me and through Snape who involuntarily shuddered patting down his robes. She dove into the ground and disappeared for good. I began regretting having knelt down as water soaked into my nightgown, and I stood up, my lips curling into a disgusted scowl. I was thankful my nightgown only reached down to my knees, or else I might have tripped and fell, and for that, I admired Minerva at times, those robes looked like a tripping hazard.

The hissing continued, and whatever Severus was in the process of saying, his words were drowned out, every word of Parseltongue was coursing through my body like electricity, demanding for me to obey. The command quite simple: _speak_. And so I did because this intrusion was not unfamiliar to me, but rather unpleasant, it reminded me too much of Tom, perhaps because it was. The floors shook, and my ears rang as the voice faded into thin air, Severus stepped away watching as the sinks parted, revealing a sizeable tunnel-like hole in the middle of the bathroom.

Lovely...

 **The original chapter was like 10k words, so I split it in two, hope you guys don't mind. And also I hate editing more than 5k word...REEEE**


	14. XIV - No Return

I could only assume the hole to be the entrance to the chamber, but that hole was quite steep, and it looked anything but safe. I was pretty witless when it came to making decisions sometimes, so I stepped closer to the hole. Severus snapped and grabbed my arm pulling me back. "Go back to your room," he ordered.

"No," I protested, daring him to come at me, I could at least hold out for a good 10 seconds before he got me in a headlock, and I was willing to take my chances.

"Why are you always so intent on jumping in front of danger?"

"And why are you always so grouchy? You never fussed over me like this, and now whatever I do, good or bad, you're always on my case. I am, believe it or not, an adult, whether you like it or not, so I can make my own decisions, _Professor Snape_." He narrowed his eyes, his scowl growing murderous, but he never did take a step forward.

"My, my, my a lover's quarrel?" Lockhart interrupted, And my attention snapped to him, my brows raising slightly. "I must say I did not expect you two boneheads to find the chamber for me."

"Gilderoy..." Sev sneered.

"Excuse me? At least we boneheads can resort to proper sorcery, thank you very little. And weren't you supposed to be on your way, Mr. Suitcase?" At that, Lockhart blushed, and he whipped out his wand, Severus reciprocating the motion.

"Resorting to violence so soon?" Lockhart asked, and I wondered what the man had been smoking, he had been the first to draw his wand, and Severus raised an eyebrow completely unfazed. There was some—well a lot of—pent up anger in that black heart of his and I half prayed that Lockhart didn't cross the line because Severus would lash out...consequences be damned.

But no, Lockhart decided to strike the touchiest subject in our relationship. "I can't begin to fathom what she bloody sees in you, Severus. Merely a coward who only manages to break her heart, on countless occasions. I may not be the brightest wizard, but I'm observant." Severus glanced to me, and I blushed clutching the hem of my dress, my eyes conveniently trailing to the ground. Touché.

"Silence!" Severus spat, and I could practically feel the anger radiating off of him, yeah perhaps I should go back to my room before I get caught up in the aftershock of the explosion. Gilderoy walked around us, and I took a step away from Severus, using the momentary distraction to put some space between everyone. Lockhart wasn't wrong, but hearing it out loud was hurtful, and now I was very much pouty. Severus could easily take him out, but I could already picture the awkward chat with Albus afterward. And I wanted no part of it.

Gilderoy was quick on his feet, and he grabbed my arm pulling me against his chest, effectively making me his meat shield, I stared at Severus, Lockhart's hand pinning my wrist to my side, my wand pointed at the ground, and he was surprisingly strong for such a squeamish man. His wand, however, was pressed to my throat, and I didn't see much harm in the action, best case scenario, he takes himself out, which would be ironic. "I happen to be quite gifted with memory charms," he trailed off tapping the tip of his wand against my neck.

"Wow, that explains so much," I mumbled. Severus let out an annoyed sigh and lowered his wand, giving me _the_ look, and I shrugged.

"Let her go," he said calmly.

"Always treating me like a fool," Lockhart growled. "Well, how does it feel now?" Severus only scoffed not even deeming the man's outburst worthy of a response. "I-I'll harm her!" Lockhart spat angrily, and I glanced up at the blonde, he didn't mean that right?

"Go right ahead. No one is stopping you," Severus spoke, and with those words, he sheathed his wand. I shot him a withering glare, and he reciprocated the motion, and my confidence slipped, was he messing around, or did he firmly believe that Lockhart could do no harm? My stare turned to a hateful glare, and as usual, Severus looked indifferent. Lockhart, however much of an idiot he was, he didn't get here by sheer luck, well I'm sure that played into the equation, but I would rather chop off a finger than let him charm me. I stepped on his foot, throwing my head back against his face earning a satisfactory shriek, and he retaliated with haste, shoving me aside. I gasped, losing my balance as I stepped into the hole, my body following suit.

Severus' mask of indifference finally cracked as he rushed towards me, but he didn't make it in time, our fingers grazed and down I dropped. I hit the concrete slabs hard and screamed as I went down the hole. After the most terrifying 10 seconds of my life, I reached the bottom, spewed out like garbage, and hit the ground, air sprinting from my lungs. That was not a very gentle drop, and hitting my head wasn't exactly fortunate either.

I stared at both Lockhart and Severus who flew out of the hole after me, landing not too far from where I was, and as soon as they landed, the two got into a physical brawl, which was unfairly one-sided. Severus was practically beating up a toddler. Watching the two move was physically hurting my head, and I closed my eyes but instead lost temporary consciousness.

When I awoke, I was met with the most beautiful noise in existence; "Rynne." My eyes fluttered open, and it took me a moment to register that Severus had called me by my first name. His thumb rubbed circles on my cheek, and seeing that I was now awake, he retracted his hand and stared at me. The back of his hand brushed the bruise on my forehead, and I groaned a few insults under my breath.

"Is it bad?" I mumbled gently pushing against it, and I winced, my hand quickly falling to my side. Once I sat up, however, I punched Severus hard, and then again, hoping to bruise up his chest. "You are such an ass!" He nodded and rose to his feet waiting for me to follow, but I shook my head.

"Rynne..." he trailed off annoyed.

"No, I'm tired of being used as human bait, I have limited pain tolerance and flesh! I've always trusted you, but lately, I'm not sure I even want to. You tell me I'm reckless and foolish, but what about you? At least when I put myself in harm's way, it isn't always on purpose, and you could have at least disarmed him before he blew my head off by accident!"

"Sorry." It sounded genuine, but I was pissed off.

"Yeah you'll be sorry, Severus Snape," I muttered, staring down at the pile of bones beneath me regretting not having any shoes. "Very sorry." He extended his hand, and I ignored it helping myself up. I was feeling petty, and he would have to deal with that. I had lost my wand during the fall, and rummaging through the endless pile of bones, I couldn't find it. I glanced to Severus who was holding it aloft, the ghost of a smirk on his lips and I growled patting down my nightgown as I reached for my wand. He rose it high enough so I couldn't reach it, but I was not playing this game with him. I walked past him, and in one large stride, he stood before me, his scowl back in its rightful place. "If you don't move-" He took a slight step back, preserving his manhood from harm, and held my wand out to me. I was quick to grab it, but he didn't let go.

"No heroics, understood?"

"No promises," I huffed grabbing my wand and the journal, but Severus wasn't having it, he grabbed my wrists, and this time he was not gentle, his eyes boring into mine, and then I realized he was not messing around.

"I won't." He nodded and let go of my wrists, and turning around to flourish his robes he led the way. An awkward and tense silence settled between us, but I was not about to break it. N-O-P-E. My prayers were finally answered as we emerged from a tunnel, greeted by a vaulted door, snakes sprawled out over the vault—how very Slytherin. Severus touched the door but to no avail.

"Amateur," I scoffed pressing my hand to the door, the instinct to speak parseltongue coming forth as I whispered to the door. I half expected the vault to remain sealed as I proceeded to look like a fool, but luckily the snakes budged. I pulled away cautiously watching the snakes reel back, the vault door opening to reveal a vast room. I admired the detail and structure put into place, giants snakes lining the stone pathway leading to none other than the statue of Salazar himself. How very Slytherin, indeed. Even I found myself slightly disturbed by the sight, talk about a big ego.

As promised, Severus took the lead, his eyes scanning the room with wariness as he descended the ladder. All this and my ancestor couldn't bother with a few stairs; half-assed is the word that comes to mind. Severus turned to face me, holding his arms out and I frowned raising a brow at him. "I'm not jumping..." Ignoring his obvious ploy of getting back in my good graces I descended the ladder watching as Severus rolled his eyes, clearly discontent, but I was adamant on giving him a hard time. A taste of his own medicine, per se.

The design on the snakes was rather impressive, at least Salazar had an eye for detail that was for sure, but he really put the slither in Slytherin. "I see you have found me at last," a velvety voice spoke, one all too familiar. I looked up to the statue of Salazar, Tom standing before it, the Tom I used to know. Back when power hadn't gone to his head, and I also didn't know he was so old, he looked like a normal boy. How was I supposed to know the man was basically in his 60s. Thinking about it now, I shuddered clasping my hands together, man my childhood was weird.

Tom's hair was neatly combed, and it was a nice change of scenery, I took a good look at him, the proper Tom, the one that was still in his rightful youth, before corruption completely consumed him. "You've grown considerably," Tom smiled stepping towards me. I took a step back and jumped as Severus rested a hand on my shoulder, looking like he wanted to do anything but strike a conversation. "I see you've brought Severus as well."

"My lord," Severus droned out, his hold on my shoulder tightening. Oh great, here we go again.

"No need to be so formal, I am but a memory, a mere figment of Lord Voldemort," Tom sighed taking another step towards me. "But I see you have found me at last," he chuckled. "Who better than the heir of Slytherin herself to open the chamber. Don't be so scared, Rynne." I flinched as his knuckles brushed my cheek and Severus took a step back pulling me with him. "I won't hurt you," he smiled half-heartedly, and then ripped the journal from my hands, stepping back with haste. "Not as long as you hold what belongs to me."

Tom's voice boomed through the chamber, parseltongue dripping from his lips like a prayer. The mouth of Salazar's statue opened, and to my horror a basilisk emerged from the cavern, ready to kill. I gulped and took a step back finding that being a witch with a wand didn't always mean you were in control. Fucking Salazar, of course, he would have a basilisk guarding his chamber, no, it couldn't be like a bunny or something.

My confidence slipped as Tom let loose the order for the basilisk to kill me, but I stood my ground and countered his parseltongue with mine, unsure if it had any effect at all. Tom only chuckled at my feeble attempt, and the reptile slid to his side, his shadow menacingly looming over our figures. "The basilisk is mine; don't be foolish, my dear lamb." Ew. No, he did not just call me that.

 _Kill._

This brought me back to the first time Tom had ordered Nagini to kill as if the act were merely an errand to run, he was cold and uncaring, eating his breakfast as if a man were not pleading for his life on the table as a ruthless killer bit away at his flesh. And I sat, and watched, until the man stopped twitching, his body falling limp on the table, blood trickling from the edges of the dining table, my dining table. The basilisk's eyes focused solely on me, and I glared at the ground defiantly, I would not end up like that man on my dining table, I would not die today, I would not beg, and I would never kneel before him. Never.

The basilisk took its time slithering slowly across the stone slabs, and suddenly it dipped its head hard, colliding against the stones and parting them, effectively denting the floor. Fortunately, Severus had pushed me out of the way, and now glancing over to the hole in the ground, I knew that any form of contact was deadly. If I looked at it, it would kill me, its poison would also kill me, or maybe I would be lucky and crushed to death. Magic was rather pointless, and I guess that's what made Salazar clever. No student could ever hope to battle a full-grown basilisk and expect to survive, not with their skill level. This was a death trap for any who dared to venture. The basilisk rose to its full height, and Severus pushed me towards the exit. "Run!" he ordered.

Easy for him to say, not like he had a 30-foot basilisk with a murderous intent after him. I didn't stay around to argue though; my legs were bustling to get the tiniest edge I could. I ran into the mouth of a snake finding the small sewer tunnel to be spacious enough to run in, but also spacious enough to hold a basilisk, Salazar really thought this through, huh? I hurried along, hearing the basilisk at my heels, it wouldn't go in unless it was certain it could get the kill, but I was fairly unpredictable because I was scared shitless and didn't really have a plan so how could it read me when I couldn't read myself. I'm not sure that was too much of an advantage though.

I weaved in and out of the passages, mumbling incoherently about what I would want to be engraved on my tombstone, something along the lines of " _fuck you tom, you sadistic sack of shit,_ " that was only the introduction though. Stumbling back on the main pathway, Severus and Tom stood toe to toe, presumably in a heated argument. The basilisk caught up, crashing against the stones beside me, I screamed, my heart leaping from my chest as the impact threw me off my feet and I hit the ground hard, knowing I had no time to recover. I rolled over dodging the next blow, the basilisk's fangs lodging firmly into the stone. I was out of breath and getting up would take too much time, that wasn't even an option anymore as the basilisk rose, parting his jaws and revealing its large fangs, about the length of my forearm, then and there I doubted my chances of survival.

I closed my eyes, covering my face, not wanting to come to terms with how I would die, mangled up by a snake, my remains never to be found. The basilisk hissed in pain, a loud screech thundering through the chamber and I looked up at Fawkes, hard at work on the basilisk's eyes. I scurried to my feet making a mad run for one of the passages, Fawkes only able to hold the basilisk at bay for so long. The basilisk had its orders, it losing its sight would not hinder the predator. Not when the prey was so close. Fawkes gave a warning screech, and I knew the basilisk was now after me. Well, at least that eliminated one of the many possible deaths that awaited me.

My breath hitched as I reached a dead end in the passage, my hands gripping the bars tightly, you've got to be kidding me. I turned around and pressed my back to the bars as the basilisk grew closer I bit my lower lip, both hands gripping the bars as I hoped they might swallow me in. It could not see me, so I had that advantage, but sooner or later, it would realize that I was there, I needed a distraction and fast. I reached inside my robes slowly, and pulled out my wand, without another thought I chucked it past the basilisk and upon hearing the noise, its head darted in its general direction and slithered away. I remained there until I was certain the basilisk had gone and steadying my breaths I tiptoed out of the passage somewhat thankful I didn't have shoes, because being barefoot was reasonably quiet. Still, though, it was too close for comfort. My dress had been reduced to tattered, dirty fabric and I wondered if life was out to destroy my closet.

Severus was still talking with Tom, and I sighed, a little irritated that a phoenix was more help than Severus, but at best, the Basilisk might have glanced back at Severus with mild annoyance before turning back to me. Parseltongue orders were very potent. As I walked towards the two, I rubbed my elbows. I had scratches for days, and the scrapping didn't help. I heard my name thrown around a few times, and my ears perked up with interest. It seemed as though the verdict had been decided though as Tom took a step back into the water, and I had a terrible feeling. "So this is where your loyalties lie? You traitorous half-blood," he hissed. His face contorting in anger, and although this was the young version of Tom, a part of the dark wizard remained within the memory, one directly linked to him. And he would not forget what happened tonight. Severus was calm though, that arrogant smirk of his strangely attractive despite the circumstances.

He grabbed my hand pulling me into him, and I frowned watching as Tom's lips curled in a spiteful scowl. "I will not allow anyone to have her," he replied coolly, and my heart stuttered at those words, even if the context was off point. Hearing those words still made me happy. The feeling was short lived as the basilisk slithered out from another passage, and I let out a deep and shaky breath. I was not ready for round three. Tom stepped back with the journal in hand and barked out orders in parseltongue, and I grabbed Severus' side, anxiety, fear, and a mix of emotions coursing through my body.

Fawkes entered the fray once more with a thundering screech, the basilisk standing on guard preparing for another attack, but Fawkes was not after the reptile. He merely dropped a sword, and I tried not to scoff at the irony. Severus caught the sword of Gryffindor with ease, and I'm sure he felt the same as me, but he definitely wasn't complaining, Severus and I weren't about flashy and overwhelming spells, we were duelers, true to the logic that man was more dangerous than a beast. Severus stepped in front of me, his sword stance a little awkward, but I'm sure he'd figure it out, he was practical like that. I glanced back to Tom, who swayed back and forth on his heels as he admired the basilisk prepping for the kill, an idea popped into my head, and I glanced at Severus.

"You got this?" I asked as the basilisk charged towards Severus, he moved fluidly avoiding the snake's fangs, and with a quick blow attacked its scales, the basilisk hardly seemed fazed. However, Severus gave a brief nod, and I stepped away watching as Severus took on the basilisk holding his ground with merely a sword.

"He will not win this," Tom commented, lips twitching into a sadistic smirk. "And once the poison takes hold of him, he will watch in slow agony as the basilisk rips you limb from limb." I scoffed feeling a surge of confidence and looked at him.

"You don't know Severus the way I do, Tom. He is a man that will overcome anything and everything." He turned to me, his face sincere and contemplative. And as he took a step closer to me, he cupped my right cheek, his eyes boring into mine.

"Tell me something, dear Rynne. Did I not overcome what I feared the most? Did I not do justice to _our_ legacy. I became powerful; I took what was rightfully mine, and crushed all opposition along the way. Why him?"

"You confuse power for strength. You may be powerful, but you're a coward, you didn't overcome anything, you succumbed to it. Your biggest fear was to love, and your definition of love is not love. Severus isn't a righteous hero, but at least, he's straightforward. All you ever did was manipulate others, you manipulated me, you lied to me, and my tail wagged for you like an obedient puppy, but I'm not that same girl anymore, Tom. You used to be so kind and gentle, and I loved you like a brother. Now, however, your Death Eaters follow you because they fear you, they don't want to end up as Nagini's snack. Severus is screwed up in a lot of ways, and even though he was very much like you, he didn't become you. He didn't become a monster."

Tom nodded, his thumb rubbing the smudge of dirt on my cheek and nodded. "We'll see about that. We've always had very different opinions, but perhaps there is still hope for you—for us." I scoffed at that and shook my head taking hold of his wrist, lowering his hand.

"There is no us, just you," I whispered. The basilisk came down on Severus, and he jumped in front of the snake going on the offensive, his arm was fully in the snake's mouth, but the edge of the sword pierced through the mouth of the basilisk and up through its head, piercing its brain. The reptile sent Severus flying as it flailed, the sword hitting the ground and skittering until it stopped at my feet. The basilisk screamed, and Tom looked on, biting his bottom lip screaming at the beast to finish Severus. However, as the basilisk remained unresponsive and Tom was distracted, I wrapped my hand around the hilt of the sword, it was heavier than expected, but it would do just fine.

"Besides, Severus isn't alone, and you are just a memory, a figment of yourself contained inside that book." Tom's eyes narrowed at me, and sensing what I was about to do, he took a step back. I shrugged and swung the sword with all my might. Tom was still a human and out of instinct, he thrust the book in front of him protectively, the sword easing through the material with gracious ease, cutting the journal in half.

"What have you done?" He shouted staring at the two pieces of the journal.

"Honestly, what I should have done years ago. Goodbye, Tom," I smiled faintly, taking hold of the two halves of the journal watching as the memory of the dark lord faded into ashes, screaming curses my way. Severus hovered over my shoulder, looking very annoyed and I smiled going for a fist bump, but instead, he fell to his knees clutching his arm, and my smile dropped, worry hitting me like a truck.

"The poison is spreading," he grunted, lying back on the stone slabs of the chamber, his eyes unfocused and hazy as he stared at the ceiling. I kneeled beside him, examining his arm, and sure enough, the gash in his arm revealed where the basilisk's fang had sunk. Basilisk poison was incredibly potent and could kill a fully grown male within minutes. My heart began to pump, and I scurried to rip up my dress, uncaring how unladylike it was.

"I-I can fix this, don't worry. You trust me right? Right?" I whispered quickly, tying the ribbon of fabric around his arms hoping to cut off his blood circulation, but it was already too late, he was getting paler and paler by the second. On top of the poison spreading, he was also losing blood, and a feeling of dread washed over me. Maybe it was a dumb plan using Tom's sadistic nature against him. He gave those closest to him, an agonizingly slow death, and I doubt we would be any different. I didn't have my wand with me, and I hardly knew where to begin searching, and there was no telling how long it would take to find, and even if I did find it, what would I do?

"Sev..." my voice broke, and I couldn't speak or breathe properly, I didn't want it to end like this. "No," I cried out clutching onto his robes. Despair hit me like never before, and before I knew it, tears streamed down my cheeks. "You said you wouldn't leave me, you promised me. You probably forgot that silly promise, but I didn't. So you can't. You can't...leave." My voice broke as I watched the wizard close his eyes. Fawkes settled on Severus' chest, and like me he wept, shedding tears on the dying man. I stared in anticipation as the basilisk's bite closed of its own accord, the blood seeping back into his arm, but his eyes remained closed. My eyes darted back and forth from the wound to his face, but Severus' pale complexion remained unresponsive, and Fawkes lowered his head, and I let out a cry of anguish because part of me was in denial. I rested my head against his chest, his heartbeat not entirely present, and although it was faint, it was only a matter of time.

"Please don't leave me. I love you, so don't go," I begged clutching the silky fabric of his robes. A large hand fell on top of my head, and I gasped, glancing at his face.

"Quit being so dramatic, a little poison won't kill me," he groaned, taking his time to sit up, he looked completely fine, and it was then that I realized, he had been acting—well some of it.

"Oh my god, you colossal ass!" I cried out having no regrets whatsoever about punching his chest. "What is wrong with you! That's not something you joke about, I was so wor-" he cupped my cheek, his thumb brushing my tears away. Never had Severus been this tender, he had been gentle, but this was different. Heat rushed to my cheeks, my mind unable to process what was happening, even though his actions were deliberately slow. He sighed and pulled me into him, our chests making contacts, his lips a mere centimeter above mine, and I held my breath, my heart lurching. His arms wrapped around my waist, and in a split second his lips were on mine. He moved delicately, the kiss was slow and lazy, his lips savoring mine in the process. My mind felt fuzzy as I tried to piece the puzzle together. I gave up altogether, resting my hands on his chest, I melted into the kiss my lips mimicking his rhythm.

I gasped as he brought me closer, our bodies flush against each other, and I couldn't help the small bubbling laughter that escaped me. However, it was also overlapped by a sob and Severus chuckled. He actually chuckled as he pulled away. I felt silly for crying but I was overwhelmed by emotions, and I didn't know what was happening, one second Severus was dying and the other he was kissing me, it didn't make sense.

I was out of breath, but I didn't care, I didn't want our kiss to end, I wanted more. And reading my thoughts, Severus captured my lips again, he pulled away and smirked, softly kissing me again. His lips hovered over mine, his eyes boring into mine, teasing me with the anticipation of yet another kiss, but it didn't come as we both froze hearing footsteps echo across the walls of the chamber. "Am I interrupting?" Albus asked, a twinkle in those mirthful eyes of his. God damn him, why did he always have to interrupt, now I was certain it was on purpose. In all the confusion, I hadn't noticed that I was straddling Severus and I blushed as I rose to my feet, patting down my tattered nightgown, my eyes looking at anywhere but the two men.

"N-No, not at all," I stuttered pulling strands of hair behind my ear, my hair undoubtedly a messy tangles of curls. Severus remained silent and rising to face me, our eyes met, and he thinned his lips licking them seductively. I squealed internally looking away as my stomach tightened. I was mortified and embarrassed all in one; I could feel my cheeks burning and as happy as I was, I wanted to crawl into a hole and die.

"I hope you realize the gravity of your actions," Albus said, his eyes trained solely on Severus.

"Yes, being a double agent is no longer viable," Sev nodded glancing back at the split journal, this had been a declaration of war. One of Tom's Horcruxes had just been destroyed. His first ever Horcrux, and I stared at the journal, Tom had not shared all of his Horcruxes with me, and my knowledge was limited, but that would not stop me. "Does that upset you?" My eyes snapped back to Severus and then to Albus, who seemed thoughtful. "Because if I'm honest, I don't think I would care," he said coldly, and I clasped my hands together, thankful Albus didn't look offended. This was the first time I had ever heard Severus speak to Albus in such a way, but I guess the man finally reached his breaking point.

"On the contrary," the old man smiled. "You're free to make your own choices now, Severus. Besides I trust Rynne to keep you in line," he chuckled throwing a shady wink my way, and I shuddered, I didn't even want to know. Fawkes settled on the headmaster's shoulder, and Albus clapped his hands making his way out of the chamber.

"Sorry, I never meant to endanger your position," I whispered. I looked up just in time to receive a headbutt and groaned rubbing my forehead. At least he didn't hit my bruise.

"I'm done serving others," he said. "If anyone wants to get their hands dirty, they can do it themselves. And you, didn't I tell you to stop blaming yourself for every little thing that happens?" He scolded bumping his head against mine again.

"Ow! Stop that!" I whined preparing to fend off his next headbutt. His arms wrapped around me in a warm embrace and we stood there, rocking from side to side for what felt like an eternity.


	15. XV - Hallowe'en

The soft cry of birds rose me from slumber, my eyes fluttering open as I sat up with a small sigh, rubbing the back of my neck. My vision was blurred, and I was disorientated, but I knew enough from the lighting, smell, and layout, that this was not my room. I blinked three times, each slower than the last, my vision coming into focus, eyes scanning the room, it was unfamiliar. My first instinct would have been to freak out, but the familiar smell of dusty old books and potion ingredients told me all I needed to know. I had never been in Severus' private quarters before, and looking around I could not spot the man himself.

The sheets and even blankets were black, and I frowned, gently prying them off my legs, how very Severus. I slid off the edge of the bed and walked out of the room. I took a few steps back and gazed at myself in the mirror, my hand unconsciously reaching for the bandage around my forehead. Oh. It all came back to me now, and my brows furrowed in irritation, I should have skinned that pompous ass alive before he had the chance to shove me.

Entering the living area, I spotted a towel and a neat pile of clothes resting on a chair near the bathroom. I must have lost consciousness in the end, but what of Severus? My gut told me not to worry myself, and so I undressed taking the time to scrub away at my body. I cupped my cheeks as another thought came to mind, and I gasped stepping out from under the cascading water. I had completely forgotten what happened between Severus and I. An overwhelming warm feeling spread through my body, and a smile twitched at my lips as I gazed at the floor, he had kissed me. I grew giddy but told myself not to be so childish; it was just a kiss. Knowing Severus, he could always pretend as though nothing happened. Wow, I really was a pessimist through and through.

I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting my uniform, but unfortunately, Severus didn't have a comb, so I had to manage my wild curls with my fingertips. I did an okay job, as okay as a girl could do in these circumstances. Walking through the corridors, I came upon Albus, swaying from side to side, his hands clasped in front of his person. A small smile on his lips as he turned to greet me. "I do hope you feel better. You gave Severus quite a scare."

"Did I now?" I smirked, clasping my hands behind my back, leaning forward slowly. "I wouldn't mind hearing the details." Albus chuckled but shook his head, he rested a hand on my shoulder, and with a gentle squeeze glanced to his right.

"Why don't you ask him? He's resting in the hospital wing," the headmaster winked, and with that he was on his way, humming softly under his breath. I practically ran to the hospital wing, and darting in through the doors, I spotted Pomfrey, fretting over Lockhart, forcing him to down the vials one after the other. I was too distracted to feel smug, and as the woman turned to me, she smiled, pointing to the last bed sectioned off from the rest with a privacy curtain.

I parted the curtain, and stared down at Severus, he lay on his back, an arm over his face, shielding himself from the blinding rays of sunlight filtering from the window. I took a seat on the edge of his bed and brushed the strands hair off his cheek peering down at him. He let out a soft groan and peeked at me through his lashes. "You're awake." His voice was soft, and he held my hand to his chest. I had never seen him so relaxed, his usual scowl was gone, and he wasn't smiling, but it was charming all the same.

"And you're in the hospital wing," I whispered patting his chest. He scoffed at my words but did not attempt to sit up.

"Yes, because apparently, I need to be looked after," he grumbled, his voice laced with spite. I smiled down at him, and it took a moment to sink it that this was happening, all my life, the one thing I had truly sought after, and it was finally here. "You're rather quiet; is there something on your mind?"

"A lot of things. You should rest some more—I'll uh...go get you some food." Severus frowned, and I could see he was not pleased with my answer, his grip on my hand tightened, and I bit my bottom lip knowing he wouldn't let me off the hook so easily. I sighed and ran my thumb over his knuckles, unsure where to begin. "Well, I'll start from the beginning then. D-Did you mean it when you said you loved me?" His eyes only narrowed, and before he could speak, I pressed a finger to his lips. "It's not just that, you never particularly showed great interest in me, and Tom, I-I destroyed his freaking Horcrux, if he was mad before, now he's a ticking time bomb. And now that you're no longer a spy, they won't stop coming after you, because you were part of his inner circle, and I honestly don't know how you can be so relaxed-"

This time, it was his turn to quiet me, and his frown only deepened. "You are such a headache," he sighed. I pressed my lips together in a thin line, and he smirked finally rising to a sitting position. "It's called taking matters in strides, and for the record, I meant every word," he grunted pressing a soft kiss to my lips. "You've always been rather slow to notice things." Heat rose to my cheeks, and I sat up briskly, his hand still holding mine so I couldn't run away.

"You just stood there; what was I supposed to think?" It wasn't a question really, and Severus wasn't about to answer either. He gave my lips a quick peck and dismissed me, mumbling something about firewhiskey. In the end, everything seemed to have worked out, Lockhart had hit his head and managed to lose his memory, rather ironic, but Severus wasn't taking any chances and hexed the man anyway. He didn't recall how he had arrived in the hospital wing, but Albus, as it turns out, was a very convincing liar. I was less glad that he remained the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, but oh well, partially my fault.

Severus was given a few days of leave but was rather spiteful, he saw it as punishment especially since Albus was taking over for him, and their teaching styles were in another plane of existence altogether. That being said, the student body was in a good mood, their grades having improved considerably. And Severus, of course, was stuck in the hospital wing, brooding in his lonely corner. I came to visit, as usual, carrying a small bundle of food, mostly sweets as I couldn't really grab anything else. Although, even after all our years together, I didn't know what he liked.

Once again, I watched Pomfrey fret over Severus, he snapped at the woman, but if anyone could win a verbal match against the mighty Snake of the Dungeons, it was Pomfrey. And just so, she buried him six feet under, and Severus thinned his lips and obeyed without so much as uttering a word. His cold and condescending sarcasm had absolutely no effect on her. After she was done tending to Severus, I took a seat on the edge of the bed and smirked pulling out the sweets I had gathered, from sherbet lemons to every flavor beans, and Severus raised a questioning brow.

"Pft, they were obviously for me," I mumbled, opting to put them away, but he snatched the bag of sherbet lemons out of my hands and ripped it open, taking a few pieces. I smiled and reached for the bag, but he swatted my hand away, and I pouted, that was unfair. We sat in silence for a few minutes, until our eyes latched onto each other, and he seemed as though he wanted to say something.

"About what Gilderoy said," he began, and as soon as he did so, he averted his eyes. "I'm sorry. It wasn't my intention." He took my hand in his and placed a soft kiss on my knuckles. I wasn't sure whether to be concerned about his blatant show of affection or his apology. Had the infamous Severus Snape just...apologized? It was sincere, and I was left breathless. My smile turned into a crooked smirk, and I chuckled.

"The Severus I know doesn't apologize so easily," I teased.

"The Severus I know doesn't apologize, period," he snapped back all too proud of himself, and I rolled my eyes, leaving his bedside empty-handed. I entered the great hall, taking a seat beside the twins and sighed, resting my head in my arms with a small smile.

"Oh, she's happy."

"That she is, George. So how is he?" Fred asked.

"Sev? He's hanging in there," I smiled.

"Aww, she calls him Sev, how cute," they cooed. "But also gross, so very gross and disgusting."

"Shut up," I sighed hitting the back of their heads. I suddenly remembered the blank piece of parchment they lent me and reached into my robes pulling it out. To the untrained eye, there was nothing suspicious about the parchment, and so I handed it back in plain view. "Thank you for everything; I really mean it. You guys were a huge help."

"No problem girl, that's what friends-"

"And wingmen are for," Fred winked. I gave him a sarcastic smile and chuckled. Those two were idiots yet remarkable all at the same time. I headed down to Hogsmeade on Albus' request to gather materials for the oncoming Hallowe'en party—and to get a costume for myself. I wasn't too sure what to get yet, so I just browsed around for something that would look good for the time being. The whole school would be attending, and I had always enjoyed Hallowe'en and this year would not change.

Severus was adamant on not attending, even though an invitation had been extended to him, but his excuse was firmly set on having papers to grade. Knowing him, Severus would not attend no matter how much I pleaded, he was a fun hater, and sometimes I hated him for that. I had told him many times to loosen up and have some fun, but at this point, I wasn't even sure he could have fun. Had the world broken him that much? He even took the time to publicly belittle the event only earning a smirk from Albus and his all-knowing self.

However, that would not stop me from attending. I would have a blast and shove as many sweets down my stomach as I could. I had to find a suitable outfit for the occasion, many people had complimented my good looks before, but I wanted to become someone else for a night, but that was easier said than done. Who did I want to become? I know the only reason why Albus had me go out to buy—I glanced down at my shopping list—fucking ribbons was because he wanted me to buy something decent for myself. His Hallowe'en spirit might have surpassed mine, but I doubt I could go as a naughty police officer, not that I would want to.

The shopping bags were starting to gain weight, and I dropped off the bags near the door, the woman behind the counter offering to look over them, and off I went dress shopping. I had tried on various dresses, and I didn't even need to look at others to know they wouldn't fit me. I wasn't fat, but these tiny sizes had me doubting myself. What the actual fuck. I pondered on a violet dress for a while; being a Slytherin had its charm, all dark colors looked stunning on me. It could be the ugliest shade of brown, and I could still rock it.

"If you're looking for a costume, I think you would be a superb African queen!" George smirked, his head peeking out of the next aisle.

"Shouldn't you two goons be elsewhere?"

"Dumbledore said you might need help carrying bags."

"Hold up—did you say, African queen?" Seeing that I had taken an interest in his idea, George nodded with an eager smile. "Yes, the white queen of Africa," I joked rolling my eyes as I shooed them away.

"How about...Tinkerbell? Our father watched it a few nights ago, and I could go dressed as Peter Pan," Fred said proudly.

"He means we, you would have two Peter Pans, think about it, doesn't that sound amazing?" I had watched Peter Pan once in a blue moon as a child, and it made me realize how old I had become. Wow. I didn't overly like the character, but I couldn't deny she was cute. And holy shit, she was thicc too—I mean yeah she looks good, I guess.

"That's not a terrible idea, actually," I mused browsing through the green dresses. I didn't like how light the shade of green was, but it was better than my idea, which was quite literally nothing. I found a dress matching the general shape and grabbed it off the hangar holding it to my body. It lacked a few details, but I could tinker around with it—oh no I made a pun. I stood in front of the shop's mirror, gazing at my form.

It wasn't quite what I had in mind, and the length of the dress was too long, I hated long dresses, they restricted my movements and were overall uncomfortable. The shade didn't compliment my skin as much as I thought it would, but it would have to do. I wasn't used to wearing a strapless and dress, and adjusting my dress a bit higher, I stepped out of the changing rooms, wanting to get a second opinion about what changes to make later. "Hey, Fred I—" My lips instantly pressed together as I stared up at Severus, casually leaning against the frame of the door. "Oh."

"Albus asked me to come collect the materials for his _party_ , " he said with some disdain, and I nodded pointing to the front of the store, towards the cashier who had kindly agreed to hold onto my bags while I finished my shopping.

"Yeah, they're at the front of the store," I mumbled clearing my throat. As if on cue, Viktor came into the shop, both twins at his side, a blonde wig in their hands, oh no.

"Wow, the costume isn't even finished yet, and you look smo—fine...you look fine," The twins smiled as their eyes scanned Severus looming menacingly behind me. I bit back a giggle and nodded.

"Well Miss Salazar, I shall deliver the bags to the headmaster, do try not to rip the dress, it would be a shame...for the dress." Viktor frowned, throwing a glare in Severus' direction, and I took a deep breath trying not to burst out in a fit of laughter. "And Weasleys, keep your sticky little fingers to yourself, and the same applies to you, Mr. Krum." The three nodded, and Severus' tone indicated he was not joking, but when was he ever?

We spent a good portion of the afternoon making adjustments to the dress, the twins shopping for their own costumes in the meantime. I glanced at myself in the mirror for the dozenth time and frowned at the length of the dress. I shouldn't have left Viktor in charge, that pervert. It was cute don't get me wrong, but it was a bit too revealing, and as bold as I could be, I wasn't bold in that sense. I turned around trying to cover myself as the three of them stared in awe, their eyes shamelessly roaming my form. They could at least be more discreet.

"Staring is rude!" I barked more embarrassed than mad, but they cleared their throats and turned around acting like that was going to fix anything, idiots. "It's really short," I whined. Viktor set down the wig on the table beside me and shrugged, all the while avoiding glancing in my general direction.

"Still more modest than some girl, I assure you of that." And with a reassuring pat on my shoulder, Viktor left to see Igor. That name alone made me want to punch a wall, but I didn't.

"If that was supposed to make me feel better, it really doesn't."

"I bet you three sickles Snape would come if he saw her like that," Fred grinned, and George mimicked his smile adding in his two cents.

"3 sickles? Bloody hell no, make it 15!" I changed back into my clothes and was glad to shove the dress in its bag. Coming back out the twins were still arguing with each other, and raising the stakes of their bet, forcing me to roll my eyes at them. "He's already madly in love with her anyway." And on that, of course, they agreed.

"Is not!" I countered lamely, my voice low glancing to see if anyone had overheard us, but the shop looked to be rather empty, and I relaxed. I paid the kind woman at the register, glancing to see if the bags were gone, and indeed they were, with that I ditched the twins and stomped back to the castle, scurrying away from their teasing, it got to be a bit much after a while.

I spent my night in the Slytherin common room, my eyes following the blazing flames as they flickered in the dimly lit room. I did wonder more than a few times, how Severus would react. Would he think I looked cute? However, I pictured him calling my behavior "whorish" because it seemed like a Severus thing to do. Wow, even in my mind, he was an ass. Not that it mattered anyway, he made it blatantly clear that he wasn't going to attend, so there was no point in stressing over this. However, I wanted him to come because my ego wanted to be complimented. There was no point in having fun if Sev wasn't there with me too, no that sounds too mushy. Damn it, that man, why can't he just have fun for once in his life.

The next day, after dinner, I mustered up my courage and knocked at his door, I didn't wait for a reply as I entered uninvited scowling as I saw him grading papers. "I'm busy," he grumbled his quill scribbling across the parchment. Darn not a very good time, he already looked pissy, and I couldn't blame him. Grading second-year essays, those couldn't have been very good. Still, it was worth a shot, I wasn't just anybody, after all.

"Even for me?" I teased with an innocent smile closing the door behind me.

"Believe it or not, but yes," he answered, not even bothering to look at me. I frowned and slammed my hands on his desk, his quill abruptly stopping as he held it aloft, not wanting to smear ink everywhere.

"You, Severus Snape, believe it or not, are attending tonight's party, whether you like it or not!" I huffed glancing down at him. He hadn't even looked up at me, and once again he found himself scribbling down his condescending remarks on the parchment that was currently at his mercy. He offered no reply, and finally after a long and uncomfortable silence, he spoke.

"Miss Salazar, I thought I made myself perfectly clear when I said I would not be attending," he snapped, briefly glancing up only to shoot daggers my way. My hands clenched, but my anger just came out as a frustrated sigh. I was mostly upset that he had already gone back to his moody, broody old self, and I doubted anything I said now would change his mind, so I gave up. Without another word, I exited his classroom, if he wanted to be a brooding teenager, then I would not stop him, and that would not stop me from having a good time, no matter how disappointed I was.

The twins stood by the entrance to the Slytherin common room, my fellow housemates giving them weird looks as they entered. And of course, they were waiting for me. I stopped short in front of them, raising my brows at them, I didn't quite feel like talking after my disappointing conversation with Sev. Well, calling it a conversation was being generous. "Come on girl, we have to sexy you up," they beamed, clapping their hands together rapidly.

"He's not coming, can't I just wear a hoodie?" I mumbled feeling strangely dejected as the words left my lips. Damn it.

"You let us worry about that. Besides, we spent good money on that wig, Rynne." They gently shoved me towards the entrance to my common room and smirked as I headed in to change. I had to keep telling myself that there would be food and that it would make all my troubles go away. I had one of the girls help me put on my wig, tightening the bun so it would not awkwardly come off, but she told me it was still loose enough for me to take it off rather effortlessly. I was a bit disappointed when I looked in the mirror. Blonde was not such a good color on me after all. Finally, I exited the common room, making sure to adjust my dress along the way, stretching it down as much as I could, but to no avail. I was hit with wolf whistles, and I growled at the twins ready to bite their necks off. Despite what Viktor may have said, I felt like a bimbo.

"Aww doesn't she look precious?" They smirked pulling each other in for a side hug. I glanced down at the hem of my dress and shrugged. "Snape will regret not coming."

"Can you two just shut up?" I groaned, walking off with a sigh. If I had to hear his name all night, I would strangle someone. The party was quite literally organized chaos, and I jumped into the crowd navigating towards the buffet table, my one true friend. Grabbing a plate, I sampled nearly every dish there was to be sampled, and two plates in I was still going strong. Food was always good, no matter the time, or the place. A true friend indeed.

"We had dinner literally an hour ago," Fred scolded trying to take a deviled egg from my plate.

"Oi," I barked, slapping his hand away. "No touching." Few candles lit the room, and the dark atmosphere set the mood, making this—dare I say—one of the best Hallowe'en parties I had attended in a while. The decor was sublime, costumes were innovative, and the food, oh god the food. Spectacular. The ones I had gone to usually had disco lights to make up for the cheap dollar store decorations, and there was booze, a lot of fucking booze. Of course, the night usually ended with police officers crashing the party, let's just say running for your life, in a Grindylow costume was not great. My tentacles fell off.

I remained standing by the buffet table, giggling to myself as Fred and George took to the stage, their dance moves baffling the crow, and I wasn't sure if it was talent or sheer stupidity, but all attention was on them alright. "Yeah swing those hips!" I cheered setting down my plate to clap for them. They had everything I could have asked for at this table, and they kept restocking the food, it was paradise on a stick. I nearly dropped my cupcake as Severus walked in. His hair neatly combed and tied back in a surprisingly good looking man bun. I had seen some shitty man buns over the years. His tux looked mighty fine, and I turned around taking a deep breath as my heart throbbed. He came. Wait no, fuck! I'm dressed like a new york corner girl.

Did Severus always look that handsome? Wait, that sounded kind of mean, but it was meant as a compliment, shit what the hell am I even rambling on about? I had nearly forgotten how to breathe as I set down my plate, all he did was show up, I shouldn't be this happy, it's silly. I glanced back at him, pondering what my next move should be, but Fred squeezed through the crow and a set a hand on my shoulder. I stared at him. I was mortified, or excited; it was hard to tell. "Someone has to catch you if you faint," he teased, and I pushed him away clearing my throat as I fanned my face, trying to keep my blush at bay.

"Whatever," I mumbled picking up another cupcake from one of the house elves as I nommed away at the frosting. I'll just pretend I didn't see him, yeah that sounds about right, he was the one intent on not attending anyway. Gosh, that sounded lame and very petty. I couldn't help but steal a few glances at Severus watching him navigate the crowd, seemingly unaware of my presence, but the way his eyes roamed the crowd, he was definitely looking for me, and now my nerves were on edge. It's fine, stay calm, nothing to worry about, I tried to tell myself. What's the worst that could happen? Either he stares at me, scolds me, or possibly detention for breaking school code. I poured myself a glass of punch, thankful of my height, I fit right in with the crowd, and well Severus towered everyone, so it was easy to avoid eye contact, and he didn't know what I looked like. This blonde wing was rather convincing too.

Across the room, I spotted the twins talking to a seventh year, definitely from Gryffindor based on his costume. I tried not to stare too much, but they were not so discreetly pointing at me. What the hell were those two doing? Soon enough, that same boy was making his way over, and I bitterly took a swig of my punch—it was definitely not punch—and glared at them. They did not just do that to me. We would need to talk later about appropriate behavior. "Hey there," the boy greeted flirtatiously, and I grimaced. Ugh.

"Hi," I replied with apparent disinterest, now regretting my choice of staying near the buffet table. He was right in front of me, and it was impossible to pretend like I hadn't heard him, considering we had already made eyes contact. Damn me.

"Want to go somewhere a little more...quiet?" He asked. I tensed up and shook my head wondering what those two idiots had told him. His hand settled on my shoulder, slowly trailing down my arm, and now I was growing annoyed. I set my cup of fake punch on the table. My hand clenching into a fist as I prepared to throw down. However, someone beat me to it as the boy cried out in pain, his hand immediately leaving my arm. I glanced at Severus, twisting the boy's arm behind his back, and past him, the twins tilting their cups in my direction with a mischievous wink. Those bastards. At least they were effective...a little too much so.

"Detention tomorrow," Snape drawled shoving the boy away, and now I cursed myself. He had found me. Just act casual Rynne.

"I thought you weren't coming?" I teased, discreetly trying to tug at my dress. He decided not to answer, but his eyes glazed over me, taking in my every curve, and I blushed hoping for the ground to swallow me whole.

"You shouldn't wear something so revealing," he sneered. Ah, here we go. My smile faltered, and I nodded clasping my hands behind my back.

"Fred and George said it looked cute though," I mumbled.

"Weasleys," he groaned in distaste clenching his fists as he muttered something about detention. How I felt about this situation, I wasn't quite sure, but now that Severus was here, I should take it as an opportunity. As if on cue, the twins began to chant for Snape to dance, and soon enough the rest of the students joined in, Albus clapping along with a mirthful smile. I needed to take advantage of this before it was too late. Severus' was probably regretting having come out right about now.

"Have you ever danced, professor?" I smiled sweetly taking his hand in mine. To my surprise, he didn't shut me down on the spot, he looked rather intrigued, but looking around, he shook his head.

"I don't care for such petty activities," he sneered, and his hand slipped from mine as he looked for the nearest exit. I wasn't going to give up so easily though. I grabbed his arm this time, my grip firm as my eyes bore into his.

"Don't worry; I'll take the lead." His eyes darkened, and I wasn't sure whether he was angry or not, but he took hold of my hand, and as the song switched to a slow melody, other couples began to partner up. I was thankful that we were not the center of attention now. His arm wrapped around my waist, the other holding my hand. And although I had started confident, heat rushed to my cheeks as I stepped on his foot, not once, not twice, but three whole times. A minute hadn't even elapsed yet. Sure I was rusty, but Severus' sheer size was a bit hard to adjust to, he was so tall.

"Perhaps you should learn to dance first, Miss Salazar," he mocked pulling me closer to him. I gave him a sarcastic smile vowing to get him back for that comment. His movements were fluid, and unlike me, he didn't step on my toes. He held my hand, gently guiding me through the motions, despite my ambitious comment beforehand. Unlike me, Severus didn't hide from Death Eaters; he mingled with the crowd while I stashed away in my room, reading away, my father always excusing my absence.

"You look good," I mumbled, mentally scolding myself. I could have said literally anything else. Anything else! And that's what I go with. You look good. What the hell is wrong with me? I groaned under my breath and thinned my lips wishing for the embarrassment to stop, why did it always end up like this?

"Yes, and you look ravishing," he whispered, his pace slowing down so I could adjust better, and he leaned down, his lips brushing my ear. "To the left, one step back, now to the right, and up." I managed to get a handle on things, and a small smile graced my lips. I was expecting him not to show up, but he went above and beyond, and I appreciated the act more than he could ever imagine. What had convinced him to show his face, I wasn't quite sure, but I knew the twins had a hand in it, and I was thankful. You could say stirring the pot is helpful from time to time, and it baffled me how much those two had actually done for me. "Sickle for your thoughts?"

"I'm just thankful for the people who've stuck with me thus far. You most of all." He did not answer, but gave a firm nod, his eyes wandering to the two goofballs shoving eggrolls down their throats. I was never known to keep the company of others, but that had slowly changed this year, but I suppose it was easier to keep good company when thieves, rapers, and murderers did not surround you. Well, that had ruined my romantic mood, if it even was a romantic mood. The song came to an end, and we both pulled away. Severus was stoic, but his eyes held an unknown softness, and he did not look displeased, so I smiled and offered him a small curtsy for his troubles.

Unfortunately, a third year made the mistake of puking out his guts on Snape's shoes, and my eyes widened as the boy's mistake brought the population in the vicinity to a halt. I was expecting a fuse to go off, but he merely sighed deducting a few points and offering me a polite nod as he walked off, disappearing into the crowd. Dare I say that was a massive improvement on his behalf.

I once again found myself looming over the buffet table and sighed resting the palms of my hand on the silky fabric, taking the time to organize my thoughts. Tonight went well, but Severus probably had more than his fair share and had called it a night. Deducing his actions based off of a single nod was hard. Fred placed a hand on my shoulder, and I glanced at him with a sly smile. "You two are honestly...I'm not even sure what to say."

"Runs in the family," he smirked grabbing a cupcake from the table.

"Well I'm about done, so I'll call it a night. You two have fun." He nodded in response and with a quick side hug, he disappeared into the crowd to go rejoin his twin, whatever he was doing. Probably nothing good. I poured myself one last glass of whatever was in this punch and turned to leave, but a girl bumped into me, her cup slipping from her grasp as it hit my dress, red liquid pouring down the fabric. Well, ain't that lovely. She didn't bother to apologize as she scurried off leaving me to deal with the mess and I sighed reaching for my...combat boots...the ones I currently don't have on. Damn it. My wand was in my room.

"Don't worry about the mess, and enjoy the rest of your evening," Albus smiled patting my back. I turned back to face him and nodded making my way to the exit. It's not like it was my mess per se—wait I should have asked him to fix me up. Opportunity lost. I grumbled out a few insults under my breath as I pushed my way out of the room, pleased by the wave of fresh air that met me. I felt abnormally light-headed considering I had only drunk two cups, and I scolded myself for drinking out of that stupid punch bowl. I hugged the wall afraid my legs would give out on me any moment now. I wasn't sure whether or not I was seeing double, so I blinked a few times. I took a step forward and lost my balance crashing into a hard wall.

Severus sighed, and I wrapped my arms around his waist glancing up at him. "Sorry." He took my hand in his helping me stand straight, I could walk just fine, but everything was spinning.

"I see your teenage years have taught you nothing," he drawled, his tone slightly playful but it was hard to tell. We entered his classroom, and I gasped as he pulled me into him, hoisting me on top of his desk. He ordered me not to move, so I sat still awaiting his return. His desk was cold, and I rubbed my knees staring at his collection of quills. I wonder if they all served a different purpose. I went to reach for one, but Severus came back with a vial in hand, and I pouted. He cupped my jaw gently prying open my mouth, and he poured the contents into my mouth urging me to swallow. I gagged covering my mouth, why did everything always taste so gross.

"I leave you alone for ten minutes, and you get drunk?" His tone was accusatory, and I frowned.

"I'm not drunk!" Sev nodded, and with a wave of his hand, the door to his classroom slammed shut, his hands coming down on either side of me as he pulled me closer to the edge of the desk. "Sever-"He leaned down, kissing me roughly, propping me off the desk. I gasped wrapping one arm around his neck, the other holding onto his arm, well this was a new development. Severus was definitely stronger than he looked, but I pulled away having to catch my breath. His lips trailing down my jaw, and neck peppering kisses along my collarbone.

"Sev..." His name slipped out in an audibly loud moan, and he stopped setting me back down on his desk. He looked like he was about to kiss me again, but he restrained himself and placed a kiss to my temple helping me down to the ground. Without a word, he escorted me to my common room and bid me goodnight vanishing into the shadows. He reminded me of a vampire at times, but he didn't need to know that. On that account, I jogged up the stairs to my room and into the bathroom inspecting my neck for any marks, but I was in the clear, yet oddly disappointed.

My lips were swollen, fingers tingling from excitement, and heat pulsing through my body, I wonder why he stopped though. I took off my wig and threw it on my bed weakly as I changed clothes and freshened up. Kissing him was magical and everything I could ever ask for, but the look in his eyes was just lust. Did he feel guilty for that? I collapsed on top of my bed, and with a sigh rolled onto my stomach, but the goofy grin making its way to my lips would remain there for a while. I was happy though, and that's all that should matter.


	16. XVI - Rain Check

Time seemed to pass slowly, but fast enough for the first snowflakes to make their appearance. Winter was finally here and Christmas not too far behind. I gazed at the seemingly charming weather, watching as the snow slowly descended upon the wizarding world. It was a welcome sight, I didn't enjoy freezing cold weather, but snow itself was mesmerizing when the world was covered in white, and everything looked pure. It could make one forget all the atrocities and shitty people that live on the same soil as us. That being said, it was an enjoyable time of the year. I had some fond memories, but the past is long gone now.

I stuck my hand out catching a few snowflakes on their way down, and they melted as soon as they hit my hand, a stark contrast between their cool nature and my hot flesh. The view from the astronomy tower was unrivaled, and I stared at students down below—they were so tiny. I spotted the infamous scowling professor and smiled, watching him walk across the courtyard, his feet kicking at the puffy snow that had settled. I glanced in the direction he was heading and spotted Albus not too far away, his eyes roaming the sky as students stood beside him, idly chatting.

I hadn't made much progress with Sev, not that there was much to be made in the first place. Well, there were a lot of things actually, but Severus was Severus, and I knew deep down, he would never change drastically, intimately involved or not. Also, it was getting considerably harder to get some alone time with him. I wasn't in a rush or anything, plus I was perfectly content with our relationship. It was rare for him to show affection from time to time, but when he did, I usually teased him about it. Not the smoothest move, I will admit. Life was peaceful since the destruction of one of Tom's Horcruxes, and while I expected Severus to be more on edge, he was relatively docile. Sometimes I wasn't sure he had fully processed that he had signed his death sentence, but nope he was in a greater mood than ever by Severus standards. And knowing him, he was acutely aware of his current predicament but gave no shits.

Honestly, he barely changed, he was still the brooding bat of the dungeons bullying kids whenever he saw fit, but he was gentler, towards me at least. And he was supervising considerably fewer detentions, so that was a bonus. I stared down from the astronomy tower, Albus and Severus standing side by side watching the students filter out of the courtyard, en route for the train, and eventually home. Winter break was finally here. Those who remained were mostly fourth years and up who planned on attending the Yule Ball, but the majority went home. I couldn't blame them, the Yule Ball was sort of like prom, so they were not missing out on much. Albus finally spotted me and offered a friendly wave, and catching Severus' attention, his eyes followed the headmaster's gaze, and he found me, casually leaning against the railing of the astronomy tower. He offered a curt nod and then turned back to Albus.

I parted way with the beautiful scenery and descended the astronomy tower as I wandered the halls. The castle felt rather empty, the halls now barren, and classrooms empty. I glanced to my right as a certain red-headed boy fell into step with me, and I smiled. George was nowhere in sight. "You're still here?" I asked.

"We were about to leave, but it wouldn't be right if I at least didn't say goodbye," he replied with a boyish grin.

"I'm sure," I chuckled. "And where's George?" I glanced to the castle grounds, friends throwing themselves in each other's arms promising to write to each other. I was partially envious I never had friends like that growing up.

"Packing his things, but that's irrelevant," he cleared his throat. "Our mother wanted to invite you...and Snape to our Christmas party."

"You don't seem too happy about that."

"I don't want to picture Snape and you together, period. Worst of all, meeting a professor outside of school is awkward, and well it's...Snape!" He motioned with his hands, and I couldn't tell if he was baffled or frustrated, but I just nodded along. I couldn't blame him there, meeting professors outside of class was awkward, especially when grocery shopping. It humanized them too much, and yes that was a bad thing.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure Snape doesn't take any points away," I teased.

"Trust me, Rynne, that is the least of my concerns," he winked patting my shoulder as he bid me goodbye. "See you soon!" I blushed realizing what he meant by that and groaned cursing under my breath. I watched as the train took its leave, and for some reason, I felt sad. I headed down to the great hall, now accommodated with one large table in the center, Viktor seated with his friends, but I never went to sit with them and instead headed to the library. Would this holiday feel lonely? I was already feeling lonely. The twins were gone, Viktor would spend his time with his friends, and Severus would be Severus. What would I do without my two goofballs? I didn't mind quality me time, but I didn't really want to be alone at the moment.

I guess that's why reading was invented though, so I weaved through the aisles, fingers stroking the spines of books I found interesting which were few. Perhaps I could convince Albus to let me visit the muggle world, maybe do some shopping, I hadn't been outside the castle in forever. As much as I liked Hogwarts I missed home; I missed the world, shopping malls, amusement parks, and hot dogs. It was all the little things. However, all I could do was sigh and grab a book off the shelf, turning to the first page. He would never allow that, and it would be too dangerous. Tom had eyes and ears practically everywhere.

I stared at the book's cover reading the title, frowning as I put it back. So maybe finding a good book would prove to be difficult, but I'm sure I could do it. I could always ask Severus for a book or two, he was always well versed and when it came to literature. I picked up book after book which titles intrigued me, and I read the summary adding it to my pile of already growing books. I heard the soft clicking of combat boots and turned around, that same dark and looming presence staring at me with one eyebrow raised. I shut the book I had been silently skimming and smiled leaning against the bookcase. "May I help you, sir?" My voice slightly more flirtatious than I expected.

"Miss Salazar, and what may you be doing in a place like this—on a Friday evening?" he asked, his eyes trailing to the book in my hands. His tone wasn't quite flirtatious, but there was a hint of amusement. I tapped his chest with my book and gave him a sarcastic smile gazing up into his dark and menacing eyes.

"I don't know genius, what is a student doing in a library on a Friday evening?"

"I don't appreciate your cheeky attitude, Salazar," he whispered trapping me against the bookshelf. I held my breath as my back sunk into the shelves, Severus cupping my cheek as he leaned forward. I could feel his breath hitting my lips, and I expected to be kissed, but when I opened my eyes, he had a book in hand, casually skimming through the table of contents with an intrigued expression. What a tease. "Are you ready to leave?"

"Leave?" I inquired watching him take a step back, annoyance creeping up into his eyes.

"I see Albus did not bother to tell you then," he mused. "Pack your things. We leave in an hour." His eyes lingered on me for a second, and finally, he strode out of the library leaving me against the bookshelf. Ok. I skipped to my room and smiled at the empty beds, I finally had the whole place to myself, but I guess that wouldn't matter now. As I threw my suitcase on my bed, I realized that Severus had given me no context, where were we going? I wonder if anyone else was coming with us, yet I hoped it was just the two of us, but that thought made me nervous, so maybe it was best if someone else came with us, for supervision's sake.

He had told me to pack my things, but not where to meet him. I felt like an idiot lugging my suitcase around the castle, but entering his classroom, he was nowhere to be found. I peeked into the ingredient storage, his office, his chambers, nothing. I then checked Dumbledore's office, but he too was missing, and the great hall was relatively empty except for a few stray souls. Turns out, however, that you don't find Severus, he finds you. "Is that all you're taking?"

"You gave me no context!" I protested. A ghost of a smirk crossed his lips, and he motioned for me to follow. Once we made it out of the castle, we walked along the snowy grass fields until we came to a sudden stop. Severus extended his hand out to me, and I narrowed my eyes. Side-along apparition. "Where are we going. I'm not-" he cut me short as he took hold of my hand anyway, pulling me into his arms, and with a crack we apparated.

We landed in an alleyway, shadows towering over us, the air musty and the sky dull. We stepped out onto the road, the sidewalk lined with broken lamps and brick houses. They were old, and some even looked on the verge of collapsing. The atmosphere was somber, and there was an air of insecurity around the place, but looking around carefully, I deduced that this must have been Spinner's End. Severus rarely ever talked about his hometown, and the times he did, he vaguely described it, and now, I knew why. He seemed comfortable enough as he took my suitcase and began walking, and even though I was with Severus, we were out in the open. "Is it safe to be here?" I asked.

"Are you doubting me...or perhaps my abilities to protect you?"

"You know that's not what I was implying—and I can protect myself just fine!" He shot me a doubtful look and simply because he had saved my ass on multiple occasions, did not mean I couldn't handle myself. We walked in silence till we reached the end of the street, I glanced up at the house, which mimicked the other brick houses along the street and glanced at Severus. He withdrew a key from his robes, opening the door slowly, he could have opened the door with his wand, but he didn't. With his wand in hand, Severus went in first, motioning for me to stay at the entrance, he disappeared up the stairs, scoping out the area.

I rolled my eyes and took a good look around his home, it was small, and the place was old, it looked on the verge of falling apart, but Severus rarely spent much time in his childhood home. Dust and spiderwebs had taken dominion in every corner, and from the looks of it, perhaps rarely meant never. I closed the door behind me and headed for the stairs when a fat rat came running down the stairs, Severus chasing after him. "Rynne the door!"

"It's already shut," I laughed. I never thought Severus could get so worked up over a—the rat transformed, shape-shifting back into a stubby man as he collided with me, taking me to the ground. His hands pawed at my body, his nose trailing across my face as he sniffed me. I screamed trying to kick him off me, this was awkward and uncomfortable, and it was on the verge of sexual harassment if not already there.

"Oh Rynne, it's so good to see you. I've missed you so much." The voice sounded familiar, but I didn't have time to contemplate as the man squirmed, Severus having shot a spell at him.

"Behave," Severus spat, dragging what looked to be Peter Pettigrew by his collar and throwing him into the coffee table, seeming unfazed as he broke the piece of furniture. Wow, some people age better than others, that was a definite fact now. Severus kneeled by my side, his wand pointed at the rat while he looked me over. "Did he hurt you?"

"No," I mumbled taking his hand as he helped me to my feet.

"Oh, Rynne, sweet child," Pettigrew cooed crawling to kiss my boot. I took a step back and hid behind Severus. "Don't you remember me? We used to play all the time when you were little!" Severus scowled as he lowered his wand, kicking the man hard, sending him recoiling back as his nose bled out on the wood floors.

"You spout lies about as much as you breathe," Severus hummed bitterly to himself.

"Oh Rynne, don't let him hurt me, please. I promise I'll do anything. Any-" Realization struck me then.

"He was the one," I breathed out. Severus' attention snapped to me, his brows furrowed in confusion. "He told Tom about Lily, about me, my memories. Tom tortured me senseless, and when he realized I wasn't going to tell him anything, he violated my mind, my every thought—all because of this rat...he betrayed his friends." Severus grabbed my arm pulling me back into him before I could pounce on the man. He wasn't gentle either as he shoved me against the sofa, he looked at me, and I tensed seeing that look in eyes. The eyes of a cold-blooded killer.

"Stay," he ordered. Without another word, Severus grabbed Peter's collar, dragging him to his feet, shoving him along towards the front door.

"No! No! Rynne, don't let him hurt me! I know where your father is; if you kill me, you'll never see him again!" I gazed up at Peter trying to read his angle here, but he was just a desperate man, spouting desperate words to live another day perhaps, but I would not deny Severus his justice. However even in his fit of rage, Severus glanced back at me, his eyes demanding permission, and I looked away giving a brief nod. Without another word, and a whimper from Peter, the two disappeared out the door, the breeze slamming the door shut, and I gulped.

I remained on the couch silently for a few minutes, and then I flinched hearing a blood-curdling scream. My fingers dug into the edge of the sofa's armrest, and I stared ahead. I didn't feel any guilt, but merely knowing what Severus was capable of was terrifying on its own. The screams continued for an extended amount of time, and before I knew it, it had begun raining, and my attention was fixed on the droplets pattering against the windowsill. I jumped as the door swung open, revealing a bloody Severus, and I held my breath knowing for certain that blood was not his.

He did not look at me, and he stood at the door for a few seconds, until finally, he stomped up the stairs disappearing altogether. I let out the breath I had been holding and clasped my hands together. I didn't know what to say or do. However, I could hear water running and relaxed knowing he was taking a shower, and not just brooding silently in a corner. The more I thought though; the more doubt filled the empty crevices of my mind. Would he ever love me as much as he did Lily? He cared for me, that much I was certain of but—these were not healthy thoughts. The rain turned to snow, and soon enough hail began dropping loudly, and all the while I remained on the sofa feeling like more like an intruder than a guest.

I heard the sound of footsteps descending the stairs, and my hands settled on my lap. I glanced up, Severus watching me intently, his glare had softened up considerably, but I would not venture to test his patience. I averted my eyes back to the window, watching as the hail came to a stop, gentle snowflakes raining down to settle upon the ground, it had grown colder in the room, but I had been too consumed by my thoughts to notice. Severus came to a stop in front of me, and I balled my hands into fists, feeling a pang of anxiety. He rested his index finger under my chin, his thumb holding my face in place. I wasn't sure what he was trying to do. "Look at me," he whispered.

Severus tilted my chin upwards, and I lost myself in his eyes. I parted my lips to say something, but my voice didn't come out, I didn't even know what to say, so I closed my mouth and looked away. However, Severus sighed and crouched down in front of me, his eyes now leveled with mine. "Sickle for your thoughts?"

"I don't want to risk your anger," I chuckled quietly. "You can be quite a handful at times."

"Are you afraid?" he asked.

"Of you? No, of course not. I just—I don't know, silly girlish things I don't want to talk about." I was fortunate that Sev wasn't feeling forceful today, he just nodded and took my hand in his helping me to my feet.

"It's getting late. You should get some sleep." Why was he acting like I was the victim here?

"Sev...I've watched Tom torture men, women, and children before, and you don't need to fret over me, I just have a lot on my mind, that's all. My opinion of you has not changed just because you decided to torture that moron. I assure you of that." He thinned his lips and nodded as he led me up the stairs showing me to my room. I was slightly disappointed that we wouldn't be sleeping together, but all in good time, I guess. "Goodnight," I whispered shutting my door slowly until I was once again alone. I sat down on the edge of my bed and sighed, partially wishing I had stayed at Hogwarts—and why the hell was Peter Pettigrew even here in the first place? Well, that question wasn't too hard to guess at, but still, it annoyed me, at least now I knew why Severus went in prepared for a fight, but I doubt Peter would have given him much of a fight.

I groaned tossing and turning under the covers, sleep nowhere in sight. I sighed staring at the ceiling listening to the sharp fall of rain hammering against the roof. I didn't realize how scary it was alone, even if Severus was not too far away. I never remembered being afraid of the dark, hell it wasn't even that dark, I could still see the outline of every object in the room. I rolled over, throwing the covers over my head and closed my eyes. Eventually, I would have to fall asleep—and I did...after two grueling hours of pure boredom. I woke up not an hour later, sweat running down my forehead. I sat up, a long and frustrated sigh falling from my lips, and a scowl on my lips.

I gave up and sneaked out of my room, why I was sneaking? I'm not sure. It just felt right. The stairs creaked under my weight, and I paused glancing over my shoulder. Okay, so maybe I didn't want to wake Severus, the point is—yeah what is the point? Ah right, water, a glass of water. I finally arrived down in the kitchen and opened a cabinet taking out a glass of water. I poured myself a glass and sighed staring as the water settled. I took a look around, and it felt like everything was scarier in the dark. Lightning struck, and I gasped, the glass slipping from my hands. Everything seemed frozen in place as I slowly moved to catch it, but it shattered on the floor, the noise forcing me to cringe as the noise echoed through the house.

The light upstairs turned on, and I bit my bottom lip. Shit. Well, so much for that plan. Severus came stomping down the stairs, and although I couldn't see his face, I just assumed he was angry. "I'm sorry," I squeaked out stepping away from the glass. Was he still in a bad mood? I hope he wasn't. I'm too young to die.

"Are you okay? It's three a.m what in Merlin's beard are you doing?" he groaned.

"I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to wake you." Lightning struck again, and I jumped placing a hand on the counter. Severus' eyes scanned me, and he sighed. With a flick of his wand, he put away the shattered glass and the water on the floor flowed to the sink in a slow and steady stream. "Sorry."

"You never apologize this much. You lied, didn't you?"

"I just had a nightmare," I huffed. "You think I'm scared of you, big guy?" He raised a brow, and I dropped the act sighing once again. "He just kept running after me, and it never stopped, it never stopped...he killed me over and over and over again. Sev I-" I thinned my lips, not wanting to admit I was afraid. "The past few months at Hogwarts have been so much fun and full of life, and...and I forgot about _this_. I sound pathetic, don't I? Hell, I'm scared of the dark and thunder, fucking thunder! Why is it so loud any-" Severus took hold of my hand, and I paused staring at him. "And I'm rambling, I'm sorry."

Sev got me a glass of water and made sure not to drop it, unlike me, and I took a few sips, staring into the glass. "You're making this awkward," I whispered.

"You're afraid of the dark?" He questioned.

"What that's what you're focusing on? You're getting negative points in the rela—and you're trying to make me feel better in a roundabout way." I gulped down the rest of the glass, taking a deep breath at the end and sighed. "I don't wanna die. I haven't tried currywurst yet, Sev..."

"You're not going to die, it won't come to that, I-"

"Don't promise, promises are stupid..."

"I promise," he whispered, pressing a kiss to the back of my hand. I sighed and poured myself another glass.

"I wish this were alcohol instead."

"That can be arranged." How naughty. Severus pulled out a few bottles of firewhiskey, and we sat at the kitchen table drinking in silence while I mulled over my thoughts. "Why are we here again?"

"I thought you would like a change of scenery, but perhaps I was wrong. It seems I only made it worse."

"Who you? Nah, you're such a bright...beam of sunshine?" Severus narrowed his eyes at me, and I smiled innocently. It hit me then and there that it was just us, the two of us together, in his home. I was excited, but also terrified, for more than one reason. Would it be awkward? Would he realize I'm boring? Sev and I had spent plenty of time together, but never as a couple. I clasped my hands together, my palms now sweaty, oh god what do I do.

Now, I was feeling rather shy, and when I'm shy nothing good happens. Severus disappeared upstairs claiming he had business to attend to which was his way of not so subtly reporting back to Albus. I changed into more comfortable clothing deciding to keep myself busy by cleaning up Sev's unloved home. After shooing spiders away and dusting every corner, it set a comfortable mood with the dim lights. I had been so caught up in my problems that I never realized the smell of old books that lingered in the air, and it was a comforting smell after spending much of my childhood in the Slytherin library.

 **I hate editing for hours on end, so if the word count exceeds 8k words, I will probably split the chapter into two parts so chapters will be a bit shorter from now on. It's to preserve my mental stability lol.**


	17. XVII - Before the Storm

I sat up rubbing my eyes, a groan escaping my lips as my head throbbed. I may have drunk a bit too much. I wasn't in my room, but instead on the sofa, my eyes trailing to the broken coffee table. Huh. Severus loomed over me with a hot cup of coffee, and I groaned falling back on the sofa. "Apologies, if I had known you to be such a lightweight, I would not have let you down the whole bottle."

"I can handle my alcohol." Severus frowned and looked ready to debate me, but thought otherwise as he kneeled in front of the sofa, still offering the cup of coffee he brewed. "Thanks," I mumbled taking the cup in hand, I took slow and steady sips, not all too fond of the bitter brew, but it was better than nothing. I noticed a candle had burnt overnight, and it's now extinguished flame leaving only a dry lavender scent and melted wax. "What happened yesterday—or this morning I suppose."

"You had too much to drink and then passed out on _my_ sofa." I noticed the dark circles under his eyes and set down my cup of coffee, resting my arms and head against the armrest, staring at him. He had watched over me, and although it was unnecessary, it made me happy. I was glad he hadn't left me alone. After opening the shutters and downing another cup of coffee, Severus headed upstairs taking a shower, and I should have done the same, but the bookshelves that littered his walls made me curious.

Upon taking a closer look at his collection of books, they reflected the man he had become, books ranging from the dark arts, to—oh wow, Shakespeare and romance novels, that's cute. I smiled to myself, unable to imagine him reading something romantic. If I were to ask him about it, I wonder if he would defend his manly pride. I found a copy of Hamlet and flipped through the acts trying to find his most famous soliloquy. I found myself reciting the words unconsciously from my days of high school when our teacher made us memorize it and recite it in front of the class. I didn't want to look at the page, but I was stuck on the next sentence.

"Thus conscience does make cowards of us all," Severus continued from the staircase. He dressed in a simple black shirt with casual slacks, and I smiled looking at the droplets of water dripping off the ends of his hair.

"And thus, Severus should dry his hair properly because he's getting water on the floor," I scolded. I crossed the room and glared at his black shirt. "And don't you have any other colors?" I pulled at the hem of his shirt, and his eyes narrowed, and I challenged him to defy me. However, with a roll of his eyes, he went back upstairs and down a minute later, his hair now dry, and his fashion sense as Severus as ever. He took Hamlet out of my hands, a small but proud smile on his lips as he flipped through it.

"I see you've found my collection," he mused. He placed Hamlet back in its proper spot, his finger grazing the spine of a particular book before he pulled it out, reading the title. "I noticed you were browsing through books the other day. You'd enjoy this one." He handed me the book, and I flipped it over, reading the summary, it was a romance novel.

"So you assume I would enjoy it because it's a romance?" I asked accusingly looking up at him. He nodded knowing me all too well, and I clicked my tongue hiding the book behind my back. "And why do you have it?"

"Contrary to popular beliefs, I enjoy a variety of what life has to offer," he defended. I smiled and gazed lovingly up at him, resting a hand on his chest.

"You're cute," I whispered.

"I'm not sure if I am pleased by your use of wording," he grunted placing a hand over mine, he gently squeezed it and brought it up to his lips, kissing the palm of my hand tenderly. We spent the morning reading next to each other, and I had missed these uneventful and mundane days. They were calming, and I could appreciate them in this melting pot of chaos. Severus knew me too well, and this book had dominion over me, I loved every word. His attention shifted to me, and I tilted my head wondering what was wrong. "Are you hungry?"

"Are you cooking?" I grinned. "The great Severus Snape, I didn't know you could cook." He didn't respond, but in turn, smirked, and then I found myself cutting onions, my eyes watering from the sting. Evil bastard! I had finished dicing the onions and set down the knife washing my hands thoroughly with soap. I watched Sev glide across the kitchen; his expertise in potions coming in handy when it came to cooking. Well, cooking was very similar to potions and alchemy, and it would only be natural for him to excel at it. He had mastered it beautifully. Of course, as a woman, he made me feel inadequate, so there was that. I had never cooked much before because I had been spoiled with the concept of servants, mostly house elves, who knew how to cook.

I wonder if Sev would teach me, he probably didn't have the time, nor the patience to do so. I saw how he looked at people in potions class, those judgy eyes of his. Did I really want that? Well, I wanted the satisfaction of cooking him a good meal, and I don't know maybe milking a few compliments out of him while I was at it. "You should learn how to handle a knife properly," he murmured repositioning my fingers. It felt weird being corrected on how I held a kitchen knife, I mean- "Fighting with a dagger is different than dicing tomatoes," he scolded.

He was right, I had a lot more control over the blade, and it's not like I was trying to kill the tomato or anything. "And when you cut, make sure to bend your fingers, you're quite clumsy at times." That was a roast not needed. He demonstrated with his own hand before guiding me through the motions. Sev stood behind me, as I diced the tomatoes, finally getting rid of my training wheels, but my attention was split. I was partially amazed at how I managed to get it wrong all these years and also Sev was breathing down my neck, which was oddly pleasing.

By the end of the hour, we—mostly Sev—had finished cooking and I sat across from him at the dining table. I never knew spaghetti could taste so good. "Is there something you're not telling me?" I asked setting down my fork, my plate now empty.

"Such as?" He inquired.

"Either you're the perfect husband, or you're secretly Italian, and no one knows." Sev cleared his throat and set down his glass of wine, covering his mouth. He stood up grabbing my plate and his, making sure to flick my head in the process as he made his way to the kitchen. I went after him, offering to do the dishes since he did most of the cooking, but he shooed me away declining my help. I lied down on the sofa staring out the window at the darkening sky, the day had gone by so quickly, mostly because I had been really caught up in _ahem_ my romance novel. I could definitely get used to this.

Severus loomed over me, and I glanced up at him, smiling. His hand came down, resting against my face, his thumb caressing my cheek gently. I grabbed his hand pulling him down on the sofa with me, intertwining my fingers with his. "We should do something fun tomorrow, just the two of us. Also, you're not allowed to wear black."

"You'll have to make me," he sneered.

"You underestimate me, professor." I wiggled my eyebrows and chuckled. He was going to lose because I have something he can't resist—my charm.

"Eager, aren't we?" His smile was soft despite his voice remaining monotone. He didn't say anything after that as the awkwardness sunk in and I giggled covering my eyes. He kissed my forehead retrieving a sleeping draught from his cabinet offering it to me. "Are you fine sleeping by yourself?" Wow, that sentence held so many different meanings, and I did not know what to say. Was he offering me—was I ready yet? I mean it wouldn't be my first time sleeping with a man, but Severus was different. We were taking things slow, and he didn't mind...waiting? I'm not sure why I was making such a big deal out of this. Perhaps he meant nothing by it, and I was overthinking it? I just nodded, and he kissed my forehead, leading me to my room. That moment when you can kill a man, but you're too much of a coward to ask to sleep with your lover, not my highest point in life, that's for sure.

The next morning, I was up and about, ready to go, until I realized it was still pretty early and Severus was out like a light. I couldn't blame him; he rarely slept. I wondered if I should start brewing sleeping draughts for myself? Sev was usually the first one awake at the crack of dawn, and he would already be up and about. I couldn't bring myself to wake him up though, watching him sleep was so peaceful, and he looked adorable, or was it manly? Nah, definitely adorable.

To make up for my lack of participation, we'll call it, I cooked breakfast to the best of my knowledge and ability. I'm pretty sure Severus wasn't too picky with food, so I just made him an American breakfast, after all, what was the point of spending my teenage years in America if I didn't apply it to my _vast_ pool of cooking knowledge. A few cuts and burns later breakfast was served, consisting of eggs, bacon, toast, and hash browns. Severus still wasn't up by that point, so I threw all decency out the window and jumped on him, smacking him with a pillow.

"Bloody hell woman," he groaned throwing me to the side as he sat up running a hand through his messy hair. The covers pooled around his waist, and I stared at his naked chest, he wasn't overly toned, but he definitely looked good, I didn't want to be caught staring so I averted my gaze to his face. I laughed watching his groggy expression, and he blinked a few time sighing softly as he looked my way. His frown indicated he wasn't all too pleased, and perhaps I could have woken him more civilly, but my name wasn't Albus, besides he wasn't civil either when it came to manners.

"I made breakfast!" I gave him my signature grin and patted my chest with all the pride I could muster.

"I can see that," he murmured under his breath taking my hand in his, examining the cuts and burns.

"Hey you live, you learn." I pulled away from him and slid off his bed. "Now get out of bed, it's rude to keep a lady waiting."

"Hardly a lady," he whispered under his breath as he shoved me out of his room to freshen up and get dressed. While Sev got ready, I rewarmed the food with a simple spell and sat on the other end of the small dining table waiting for him to come down. He came down in his usual robes, and I frowned, one day maybe I should burn his robes, nope he probably has a collection, burn his wardrobe? No that's what a crazy ex-girlfriend would do.

We exchanged snide comments while eating breakfast and now or never was my chance. "So about shopping?" I asked making sure to look as innocent as I could.

"No." I narrowed my eyes at him dropping the cutesie act, and he lowered his fork, his stare just as intense. "Your cooking is slightly better than your potion making," he remarked, and I narrowed my eyes some more. It felt like he was grading my cooking, he probably was.

"Wow, what a heartfelt compliment," I murmured sarcastically. "Do remind me never to cook again." In the end, I received a slightly better compliment, and he ruffled my hair thanking me for breakfast. I activated my cute puppy face, and after much nagging and pleading, and perhaps a few threats, Severus stood before me, a scowl on his face, wearing his same old black robes, but he was coming along, so technically...I won?

We apparated to London, and the damp fresh air was a good change of pace. I forgot how it sometimes smelled after a night full of rain. Severus was quickly gunned down by more than a few curious stares, and I couldn't blame them, he looked like a supervillain, which was oddly attractive now that I thought about it. First stop was buying him some new clothes, and patting myself down, I was glad I had taken my wallet with me. We entered the nearest clothing shop, and Severus growled as I took hold of his hand dragging him through the aisles. I began picking out all sorts of clothes for him, holding the shirts up against his chest to get a better mental image.

"Wow, sometimes I forget how tall you are." He smirked at my comment, and I rolled my eyes. I shouldn't feed his ego. I held a white dress shirt up to Sev's chest, biting my bottom lip as I imagined him rolling up his sleeves, but it would remain just that, a fantasy, this man would never be rolling up his sleeves. Ever. Sev ended up getting a few black dress shirts, but also one white shirt, so hooray! Improvements. "I'm so proud of you," I teased. He shot me down on the spot with his eyes, and I thinned my lips. "Still proud," I whispered.

I spotted a hot dog stand and smiled grabbing Sev's hand and dragging him along as I bought him and myself a hotdog. I was surprised to find that Severus had never had a hot dog before, and he looked at it with mild uncertainty. I took a bite out of mine first and smiled at him covering my mouth, hoping nothing fell out. "It's not an actual dog. If that's what's you're worried about, at least I hope not." I glanced at my hot dog, staring it down as a shiver ran down my spine. A ghost of a smile graced Severus' lips, and he took a bite also covering his mouth as he chewed. His eyes widened slightly, and he took another bite. I smiled at his reaction mentally fist bumping well...myself, but that's not the point. Sev liked it!

"It's good," he said. We went around the streets of London sampling all sorts of international dishes and sweets, and Severus seemed to be enjoying himself very much. He didn't look like a man to eat a lot in the first place, and well the food at Hogwarts was good, but after a while, it got a little repetitive. Besides, I doubt Severus had much of a chance to go sightseeing or enjoy life as a child or an adult. Sev went ahead to scavenge for more sweets while I waited near a boutique, admiring their lingerie wondering what Severus' reaction would be.

A shadow loomed over me, and my eyes widened. Act normal Rynne. You were merely admiring the designs not your sexual appeal in bed. "You're ba-" It wasn't Severus. "Oh, hello."

"Hello," the man smiled.

"Can I help you?"

"A fine lady like you doesn't need lingerie to impress a man," he chuckled, and now I felt uncomfortable. "Unless your husband doesn't satisfy you?" He glanced to my hand, and I was ringless, and he cocked a brow as if trying to prove a point—to the wrong person.

"I was just admiring the designs, and I'm perfectly fine in the relationship department, I assure you."

"Well you seem rather lonely, some of my pals are around, you could hang with us for a while," his voice sounded way too suggestive for my liking, and although I liked a decent British accent, this man was a creep.

"Look, please just leave me alone, I'm not interested so go bug someone else," I spat. I could feel my wand tucked inside my combat boot, but there were way too many people around.

"That's okay, I like them stubborn," the man smirked grabbing my wrist. To kick or not to kick, that is the question. His other hand came for me, and I decided that to kick was the answer. I bit his hand as he yelped and released me and with a kick to his shin, I ran in the direction I saw Severus head in last. I glanced behind me and scowled when I saw the man chasing after me. Some people really can't take a no, and why am I so harrassable? Sure I'm good-looking, but I'm not that good looking, and well I can bite pretty hard, that should be a fair warning. I crashed into a wall, and I quickly apologized looking up at Sev, and I sighed in relief.

He didn't have to ask me what was wrong, his eyes darted to the man who had been chasing me, and his eyes darkened, one arm wrapping around my waist as he pulled me closer to him. "It's bad form to kill someone in public," I mumbled.

"Did he hurt you?" he asked as calmly as he could.

"I think I hurt him," I whispered playfully. I noticed the ice cream cone splattered on the ground next to him, and now I felt terrible. "Sorry about the ice cream."

"It's fine. It would've melted anyway." It was pretty cold outside, but it definitely made me feel better.

"Hey, buddy get your hands off my girl." Oh great here we go again.

"Your girl?" Severus questioned, a mocking sneer in his voice.

"Yeah old man, get your slimy hands off her." I know this wasn't something to laugh about, but I had to bite back a snicker as Severus let me go, looking rather murderous. Glancing towards me, Severus took hold of my hand, and we walked away. "Hey, don't you walk away from me!" With a wave of his hand, Severus tied the man's shoelaces together, and as he tried to follow us, he tripped landing on the ground with a groan.

"I'm not that old," Severus growled, and I shrugged.

"I think I see a few wrinkles." He shot me a glare, and I smiled innocently as we went to get another ice cream cone because I knew Severus, he was still upset over his fallen comrade. Needless to say, having such an obedient Sev around, I dragged him all over the city trying things left and right, sightseeing and even taking a small boat tour. As we leaned against the railing, I glanced out at the rough waves crashing against the ship and smiled. "What do you think of the muggle world?" I asked

"To answer your actual question, yes today has been rather fun." He kept his eyes away from mine, and I smiled. Even Severus could be bashful at times.

"I'm glad you're having fun, but the day is long from over," I cackled taking hold of his hand. Once off the boat, I led him away from the crowd and ushered him into an alleyway. "You seem like the kind that has never been to an amusement park." I linked my arm with his and apparated to another alley not too far from the fairgrounds connected to the amusement park. Sadly a good portion of the roller coasters were closed for the winter, but that wouldn't stop us from having a bit of fun.

I paid for two tickets and handed Sev one, his gaze trailed to the vast amount of colors, screams, and giggles that contaminated the place, and although he hated kids at times, I could see a bit of envy in his eyes. I gasped, letting out a small squeal as I rushed over to the ring toss stand, my eyes fixated on the giant teddy bear. "You're not five," Sev scolded placing a hand on my head trying to lead me away, but I shot him a defiant glare, and he sighed watching as I paid for three rings.

However, expectations and reality were different, Sev just stood by my side watching my shabby throws. I needed 200 points, and I had landed on a 25 and 50, my only chance at this point was landing on 200, and that was impossible, for me at least. Perhaps if I tried really hard—yeah well that's not how life works Rynne. I really wanted that bear though. "Come on hurry up," the man behind me snapped, and I narrowed my eyes on the 200 mark at the back of the stand. Sure I could buy more rings, but there wouldn't be that satisfaction.

Severus, however, felt different, he shot the man a glare, and I could see his cold and condescending nature oozing out of his posture. With a sneer, Sev held out his hand, and I handed him the ring without argument and without hesitation he tossed the ring, the trajectory perfect as it landed right on the 200, and I looked at him in awe. The man behind the stand clapped and congratulated us—mostly Severus—and handed me the teddy bear with a huge smile. I wrapped my arms around the bear with a goofy grin, and Severus sighed softly patting the top of the bear's head. "Isn't he cute?" He gave a shrug, but he did look over the bear one more time and gave a brief nod. "And you have surprisingly good aim."

"Don't be ridiculous, of course, my aim is good," he scoffed. I raised a brow at him and glanced back at the ring toss stand with a smile. And he has a big ego, but I wouldn't tell him that. I tucked the bear under my arm and took hold of Severus' hand leading him to the spinning teacups. "You are very touchy today," he murmured.

"But spinning teacups are awesome. Father used to spin me as fast as he could unless you're scared?" I taunted innocently. His eyes darkened, and he cracked his knuckles taking the initiative as he boarded the teacup. I sat across from him, seating the bear on my lap and stared at Sev unable to wipe the smile on my face. The attraction began and glancing around Severus took the hint, and his grip on the wheel tightened, and then he turned it as fast as he could. My confidence dropped as the world began to spin a little too fast and I looked down, concentration on the bear's cute face, one hand gripping onto the seat. After the attraction came to an end, Severus seemed perfectly fine, but I couldn't say the same about me. I stumbled into a trash can and groaned thinking twice about hugging the object.

"Perhaps next time you'll think twice about challenging me," he smirked.

"Noted," I mumbled feeling my stomach churn. "But you could at least pretend to be fazed." He took hold of my upper arm and steadied me as he took the bear from my hands, not trusting me not to drop it. Severus led me to a haunted house seemingly intrigued, and sadly it wasn't the walk-in kind. A car came around decorated to look like a mine cart, and Severus helped me in, quickly getting in himself as he lowered the safety bar. I puffed my cheeks and hugged the bear as the cart began moving. We entered the darkness, and one of my hands unconsciously gripped the safety railing of the moving vehicle and blinked as a ghost came rushing at us from the ceiling. I wasn't going to lie, I was a big scaredy cat, but this was a tragedy.

Severus was silent, but he appraised the decor, at the very least. The ride was dull, and the jumpscares I had been expecting never came. When I finally gave up, a clown popped out of a coffin, a chainsaw in hand, and I could not tell whether it was real or fake. At first, I didn't mind, but as the clown grew closer, I inched towards Sev and wished that he had been on the clown's side instead because this was extremely uncomfortable. The clown came to a sudden halt lowering his chainsaw as he turned it off and simply stood there as we passed by. Odd.

We finally finished the loop around the haunted house, and I was glad to be out of there. Sev was the first one out of the car, and he glanced back holding his hand out to me. "That was disappointing, but I suppose muggles are limited in what they can or can't do." I nodded getting out of the cart with Sev's help and looking around, and I wasn't particularly taken with anything. "Shall we go back?" he asked.

"Is there anything else you would like to try?" His eyes scanned the attraction, and I received a subtle shake of his head. "We can always come back during the summer; they'll have more attractions open." At the last second, Sev took my hand and stopped me in my tracks leading me to the Ferris wheel, and I smiled. The sun was slowly setting in the distance, and I was excited to see the scenery. We waited in line, Severus almost growing impatient as the man let the wheel go around once more, and finally, our turn came, and we hopped aboard an empty compartment, just the two of us.

We sat in silence as we ascended, and I leaned against the window, my eyes trailing to the people below us, growing smaller and smaller. I was taken with the scenery, and I forgot how fun a Ferris wheel was. And the sunset, I don't think I had seen something so beautiful in my lifetime. We finally reached the top preparing to go back to the bottom. "Rynne," Sev called out. I hummed and turned my attention to him. His lips captured mine softly, and I smiled gently cupping his face as I returned his kiss.

Before I knew it, we came to a stop, and the man cleared his throat for us to get out, and I blushed taking hold of Sev's hand as he led me out of the compartment, his eyes boring holes into the now intimidated attendant. It was dark now, and I yawned stretching as we made our way out of the amusement park. I bought a candy apple, much to Sev's disapproval, but that didn't stop him from stealing a bite or two. "If you wanted one, you should have said so," I grumbled trying to protect my apple from further harm.

"What's the point, when I can just share with you?" He mused licking his thumb. I clicked my tongue and averted my eyes, hiding the smile on my lips. Was this really the same Severus? We apparated back to Spinner's End, and by that time, Sev had commandeered my candy apple, but I didn't mind. I collapsed on the sofa like a bag of potatoes and sighed watching as Sev browsed through his collection of books.

"I'm glad you had fun," I whispered gazing at him.

"Only with you." He took a seat beside me and conjured up a blanket, and I rested my head on his lap as he read. The curtains were not closed, and I watched as the snowflakes descended slowly, it had been considerably colder in the room, but between Sev and the blanket, it couldn't have been warmer.

"Molly invited us to her Christmas party if you want to come."

"Acting as if I have a say in this he scoffed flicking my forehead and I grinned.

"Well, I was just being polite, but yes, you don't have a choice." He closed his book tossing it aside, his hand gently running through my hair. He found my other hand and held it in his as he rubbed circles on my palm, his calloused thumb oddly comforting. "Can we sleep together?" I asked in a soft whisper, and I scolded myself for asking such a question. However, he nodded and grazing my cheek with the back of his hand, he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear and settled beside me, and I found myself trapped between him and the couch. He made no attempts to get off the sofa, and I was too lazy to move, so I closed my eyes falling asleep to the steady beat of his heart.

 **Sorry guys, it's been a busy week ;-; between AP exams, finals and portfolios and graduation coming up, it's been a mess. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed!**


	18. XVIII - Christmas Storm

A ray of sunshine hit me, and I gazed at the partially covered window, a single streak of light filtering through, just to hit me. Severus' cheek pressed against my own, and I was thankful he was not a drooler. The cover barely managed to cover his legs, and I smirked, perhaps being so tall wasn't such a good thing. I was trapped against the sofa, however, and sighed. "I know you're awake," I whispered patting his chest, the little optimist in my heart hoping he would let me go so I could go scavenge the kitchen. Despite my efforts, all I got in return was an annoyed hum and the feel of his arms tightening around my frame. Optimism crushed.

After much too long, he finally spoke, his voice tired and uncompliant. "I'm not." He tilted his head to place a kiss on my cheek, and I mumbled a silent insult his way. I just wanted food, was that too much to ask for? Severus had never been one to sleep in, but lately, he was just full of surprises. While I wasn't always the most pleasant morning person, I preferred to get up before noon, and my gut told me I was a little late for that. I finally gave up and relaxed, resting my head back down on his arm.

My lack of resistance caused Severus to sit up, brushing my hair back on the way, and I shot him an annoyed look. "You confuse me," I mumbled, closing my eyes. I heard a faint chuckle, but I ordered my smirk away and waited for him to lower his guard. Once I saw my chance to escape, I sat up abruptly and pushed against his chest, hoping he would topple over the edge. However, he wrapped his hands around my wrists, and any momentum I had gained quickly dissipated along with my expectations. He rose his eyebrows quizzically at me, and I gave him a sour look willing myself out of his grip and Severus rolled his eyes, finally getting off the sofa.

The morning was rather uneventful, Sev drank three cups of coffee, but I didn't say anything. Within the hour, he was back in his dark, gloomy robes. I wouldn't tell him this, but I missed those darn robes. It represented the cold condescending professor who gave no fucks and took attitude from no one, except maybe me. The unsubtle scowl on his face spoke in defense of what he was expecting today. Needless to say, someone did not want to spend time with the Weasleys, but they weren't that bad.

I inquired about why he liked coffee so much, but the answer I got was unsatisfactory, something about having to deal with pesky things in the morning, which was referring to me. I gave him the bird and stomped up the stairs sorting through my suitcase, and luckily for me, I was always used to packing one formal attire. However, when I stood in front of the mirror, I frowned. This dress was so much shorter when I was actually wearing it, this was false advertising, or I'm an idiot for not trying it on, one of the two. But my friend, that's why leggings were invented. I slipped a pair on and met Severus in the living room. "Ready to go?" I smirked, and he ran a hand through his hair with a sigh, his eyes somewhat hostile, but he would have to deal with it. We locked arms, and with a goofy grin on my face, we apparated to the Burrow.

We landed a ways off from the Burrow, and I smiled taking Sev's hand in mine as I led him through the long grass. "Guess I'm a bit rusty."

"Good to know we could have gotten splinched," he murmured as he took hesitant steps to follow me. This grumpy pants. Once we reached the home of the Weasleys, I never got the chance to knock as Molly threw the door open, a broad and beaming smile on her lips.

"Come in, come in! You two make yourselves at home now, you hear!" I took a single step forward and was engulfed in a bear hug a bit too tight for my liking, and out of politeness, I smiled awkwardly and patted the woman's back. Severus was as Severus as ever, offering a cold nod in return, but Molly's smile only grew at his show of indifference. I honestly think she was just happy to see me in a committed relationship and vice versa. I had a certain reputation during my teenage years. I was a total player. I was already at home as soon as the smell of baked goods hit my nose, and with a smile, I skipped to the kitchen, Severus following with a keen eye as he inspected the room.

I grabbed two cookies and offered one to Sev, and although I had grabbed two on the off chance he would decline so I could eat both and not look greedy, he said yes. "I thought you didn't like sweets," I murmured. Sev raised a brow but said nothing heading into the living room to see what all the ruckus was about. A smug smile made its way to my lips as I watched the twins desperately trying to beat their old pops at chess, and trust me when I say they were desperate. My smile turned towards Sev, and he held a deadpan expression, shaking his head, already reading my mind.

"In all the years we have known each other, we have never played chess, how does that make you feel?"

"No comment."

"Well, I say that two heads are not better than one."

"Oh yeah, like you two can do better!" George accused, his cheeks puffing in frustration as he stood partially blaming his twin for their loss.

"They never were too bright," Severus whispered under his breath, glancing at me to get a move along. Now that was the Severus I knew, never backed down from a good challenge. After kicking the twins off the sofa, I took a seat, and Severus eyed the board as Arthur reset it, the shattered pieces of pawns molding back together. "I assume you know how to play, yes?"

"Don't take me for an idiot, of course, I do. It's just been a little while," I huffed, resting a hand on my lap, my playful glare directed at Arthur.

"Rynne, Severus," he greeted with a lazy smirk. Sev and I took turns making our moves on the board, and not a single word was shared. However, we did exchange a few glances or rather glares, because pride was more important than victory at this point. Within the span of five minutes, we had checkmated Arthur, and from the side, the twins fussed under their breaths exchanging sickles. But my score was not settled yet.

"You Severus Snape, are a bad person."

"Perhaps you are referring to yourself? You did fail to follow a simple initiation move," he retorted calmly.

"Me? You're one who failed to follow up, with your melodramatic entrance."

"Because your move made no sense," he argued.

"Oh, and I suppose yours did?" The bickering went on for a while until Arthur cleared his throat, his eyes growing more amused by the second. He earned a feisty "what" from the both of us, and upon realizing his outburst, Sev composed himself, tugging at the collar of his robes as if that would somehow reassert his image. After Severus reset the board, we went against each other: the best of five. It came as no surprise when I lost one to three, my victory attained from an act of mercy—or rather pity.

However, as the rest of the day went by, I managed to avenge myself at Monopoly. Sev got absolutely rolled when he took a turn down the wrong alley. Dare I say; it was a blast. Love was tarnished, friendships ruined, and most all, I had boasting rights, but that was the beauty of Monopoly. My punishment was to clean up after everyone, and so I sorted through the different bills, making sure everything was neat and organized. Unlike everyone else, Severus had remained seated on the sofa, his eyes boring into my busy figure.

I could feel his eyes reading my every move, and with a frown, I looked up tilting my head to the side. "You cheated," he said blatantly.

"Of course, I did. I was just smart enough not to get caught." He smiled, an odd sort of adoration reflecting in his hues, and my frown only deepened. I'm not sure he was supposed to be proud of me. "Don't tell me you've never cheated," I teased.

"All the time," he acknowledged deciding to help sort through the different stacks of bills. "Your father always said you were a dirty player."

"He should know, he taught me." To that Severus chuckled, genuine mirth filling his features as his eyes softened, neatly putting away the bills he had sorted.

"Like father like daughter," he mused. I shot him a playful glare and put away the Monopoly board, slipping the cardboard lid over the top. I sat up rounding the coffee table as I offered Sev a hand. He willingly took it, but as he stood, he harshly tugged me down on the sofa, leaving me face first in the cushions as he strolled to the kitchen. I suppose that was my punishment for cheating.

The kitchen was as rowdy as ever, Molly humming to herself as she finished cooking, looking utterly oblivious to the rampaging noise around her, it was commendable. The twins talked to their siblings, and I took a seat at the table feeling oddly at home, yet an outcast all the same. I stared at Arthur and Severus who seemed to be exchanging soft-spoken words, an occasional glance thrown in my general direction. I fiddled with my locket unconsciously aware that I was the only lone wolf in the room, but on the topic of my father, I did wonder how he was doing.

Dinner began soon after, Severus taking a seat beside me as Molly placed all the dishes on the table. I had offered to help, but like Severus, she shot me down on the spot. The food was terrific, and to my delight, I accidentally bumped Sev's leg. He glanced at me and then before I knew it, we were playing footsies under the table. That was until a third pair of feet joined in, and it was none other than Arthur. Sev and I exchanged glances and eventually managed to banish him though Molly had caught onto to us and gave us a good scolding—mainly Arthur and I—because Severus' poker face had no flaws.

Still, he failed to hide the amused smirk tugging at his lips as he wiped his mouth with a napkin and I pinched his thigh in retaliation. The twins challenged me to an eating contest, and despite Molly's protest, we were set one seeing who could eat their cheesecake the fastest. Unlike these two though, I rarely had family meals, so I never spent time pacing myself at the dinner table, it came in handy...from time to time. Nevertheless, though, they greatly underestimated me, and I ended up winning despite choking on the last piece as I tried to shove it down my throat. Sev slid my glass of water towards me, his hand gently rubbing circles on my back.

Fred perked up with a huge grin on his face, his eyes radiating admiration and I sat up straight, not liking where this could be headed. Filled with awe, he finally spoke. "Rynne, will you marry me?" I choked on my water this time, and Severus' brow furrowed as he patted my back. That had earned the table's attention, and things grew eerily quiet, eyes darting back and forth between Sev and Fred. "I do believe Gryffindor will be starting out with a point penalty after classes resume," Severus drawled.

I always found it amusing how the world seemed to stop in Severus' presence. People always seemed to expect something, perhaps an outburst of sorts, for the man to finally snap, whether the situation was comical or dire. I smiled at him, and in return, he leaned over and rested a hand on my shoulder, his lips brushing my ear. "I think you'd grow frightfully bored with a Weasley."

"You think?" I whispered back, taking a sip of water.

"I know so."

"What are you two whispering about over there?" Arthur smirked. Sev pulled away, and a polite smile forced its way onto his lips.

"Nothing," we both said calmly, and Severus shot me a knowing glance. In a way, Sev was right. He seemed to be the only one who could fill the missing piece of the puzzle, and he did so knowingly.

"Are you...trying to flatter me?" I joked glancing at him.

"I'm getting the notion that this is a first for you. If so, you really are daft." My lips thinned at that remark, and a blush crept its way onto my cheeks as I looked away. "Seems as though the muggle world failed you." I ignored that jab at all my previous _lovers_ and huffed rising from the kitchen table. My feet led me to the living room as everyone was preparing to open presents, and I rubbed the back of my neck. Shit.

Severus came striding into the living room, with that annoying smirk on his face, and I sat between the twins effectively zoning him away. No one seemed to mind that neither of us brought a gift, and my apology was thrown out the window for being ridiculous. The twins handed me my present, and I stared at it. "Is this mine?" I asked.

"No, I just put it in your lap for chuckles," George said his tone mildly sarcastic. I nudged him and opened the present, a knitted sweater with my name on it. My heart melted into a puddle, and I smiled thanking Molly with all my heart. I was never one to celebrate holidays as a child, and much less now as an adult. But it was nice to feel so loved and accepted. Severus received a sweater too, but unlike me, he was much less receptive, and just offered a curt nod as he proceeded to hold onto the present. I slid my sweater on, and per tradition, a picture was taken, Sev being the grumpy pants he was, remained seated on the opposite sofa, watching with a bored look.

I was delighted to have spent this Christmas with the Weasleys, but I wasn't sure about Sev. He had enjoyed himself when the opportunity arose, but other than that, he remained adamant on being anti-social, not that it came as much of a surprise, but I suppose I had misjudged the situation. Although, if Severus really had not wanted to come, he would not have submitted himself to my will so freely. Maybe I should apologize? Maybe. It was getting late, and it was written all over Sev's face that if we stayed for another five minutes, he might go mad. I was reluctant to leave, but I knew Severus couldn't wait to go back home, so with a sigh, I stood and made my way across the living room.

I lost my balance as the house shook, a bolt of fire tearing through the architectural masterpiece that had become to Burrow, but along with it, rubbles of wood and items came tumbling down. Severus was on me at a moment's notice, his frame looming above mine as he took a brunt of the damage, but he did not look fazed. My ears rung slightly, and I sat up looking alarmed, unsure what had just happened. "Severus!" Arthur shouted from across the living room. His shield covering a good extent of the sofa, where a majority of his family still sat. Arthur never got enough credit, in my opinion.

"We're fine," Severus growled. His temper on a thin line as a cackle echoed through the air. Bellatrix. He shoved the rubble to the side and rose to his feet, the permanent scowl that had etched itself onto his lips once again returning to the moody professor. "Are you okay?" Severus whispered glancing in my direction, and I shrugged.

"Physically or emotionally?" I mumbled, staring at the mess around us. The ceiling all but blasted to pieces. I felt guilty, and while I did not always care for much, I was still human, but this tore my heart to pieces. To top it off, I hadn't even gotten them a Christmas present. I was officially the worst guest ever.

"We can worry about the latter at a later time." Severus took my hand in his and guided me through the rubble, and out through the unhinged front door. Bella perked up as we exited the ruined house, and she smiled at her handiwork, taking three steps towards us, she tossed a book towards Sev. It landed at his feet, the edges burned and the smell of smoke still thickly lingered amongst its pages. It was the book Severus had picked out for me. There it was again, that feeling of guilt.

Severus slowly drew his wand, and considering the two Death Eaters that stood behind Bella hadn't begun firing yet, Sev adjusted his robed glancing at me, as if waiting for my approval. The Weasleys exited their home, all of them looking for a good fight to pick after the injustice that had fallen upon their home, but I didn't want any of them to get hurt. He read me like an open book and gave me a curt nod. Sev was unfazed as the maniacal witch vaporized a book from his personal library. Bella pouted looking offended by his lack of reaction. "Well, I was expecting something a bit more dramatic Sevie. You've been a naughty boy lately, and there's no time like Christmas to celebrate. However!" She cut in once more. "Lord Voldemort wishes to extend his hand once again to the unworthy little chit at your si-" She blocked a spell, and I stared at Sev who took a furious stomp forward and acknowledging the situation we were in, I grabbed his hand.

"She's not alone," I whispered, running my thumb over his knuckles, hoping to be the voice of reason among us. "I'm counting 15 total, including the three in front of us." He squeezed ever so slightly, and without warning, he fired another spell. So much for impulse control. The Death Eaters sprung to action, a dozen, revealing themselves as they all let a spell loose. Sev grabbed my hand, pulling me against his back and in an instant, every spell had been deflected taking half a dozen Death Eaters who had underestimated the infamous Potions Master to the grave. With the odds now even, I kept to Severus' back shielding him from harm as he dueled Lestrange.

However, while I tried my best to fight a one on four, I was growing tired every second. More Death Eaters came swarming as the Weasleys took to the fray, defending their home with all their might. I managed to dispatch two Death Eaters, but the third finally managed to disarm me. Still, it was somehow better than facing that crazy bitch any day of the week. The fourth Death Eater fired a non-lethal spell at Severus but my wandless deflection spell fizzled, and instead, I took the blow collapsing onto my knees as a groan left my lips and nausea hit me like a truck.

"Sev-" He took hold of my waist and lifted me into his arms. With a flourish of his robes and three quick steps, his robes rippled and fluttered as we raced through the open sky, just above the fields of endless grass. So this was the rumored unsupported flight I had heard so much about. I had seen him use it once or twice, here and there in the past eight years, but apart from that, it was quite amazing, getting to experience it in the flesh.

I held onto Sev tightly, surveying over his shoulder, the Death Eaters hot on our trail, but they couldn't seem to keep up on foot. I could tell this whole unsupported flight shenanigan was not meant for two though. I was a burden of added weight, and I soon began to notice our slow descent into the maze of long grass. A stray spell hit Sev, and his grip on me slipped as I fell through the long grass landing on my back, air sprinting from my lungs. Damn. I sat up, patting myself down, and sighed at my lack of a wand. I needed to find Sev straight away. However, I was surrounded by blades of grass taller than me.

A Death Eater emerged from the grass, and I gasped quickly taking a step back as I turned to run, only crashing into another masked man. I stepped away, finding myself compromised, and I promptly glanced between the two. They made no effort to move on me, and without a word, I rushed one, but instead of attacking, I sidestepped him and ran as fast as I could hoping this was the right direction. "Crucio!"

I dropped to the ground, recoiling in pain as a scream escaped my lips, nails digging into the dirt. One of the Death Eaters grabbed my leg, dragging me through the mud as I struggled to catch my breath, the lingering feeling of being torn apart all too present. I grabbed a bundle of grass and twisted my body enough to kick the man with all my might. Staggering slightly, I kicked him again until I freed myself and quickly scurried to my feet rushing the Death Eater and burying my knee in his face, hearing a pop followed by a crack. I turned around, preparing to be on my way when I got socked and was sent tumbling back in the dirt.

"Fuck," the Death Eater groaned struggling to get back on his feet. The man I had not so gracefully kneed grabbed my hair, and once again dragged me through the dirt. All my screaming and kicking seemed pointless as I couldn't free myself from their grasp. I began to panic then; I didn't want to be dragged back to Tom.

Fear.

My heart pumped against my chest, the noise clogging my ears as everything faded out of existence, even the pain. I was brought back to reality though, as a familiar cackle reached my ears, and I wondered if I would live through tonight in one piece.

Bella came out from the long grass, and the two Death Eaters pinned me down as she loomed over me, a sadistic grin on her lips as she crouched down next to me, pressing a finger to my lips in hopes of keeping me quiet. However, I was already in a lot of pain, and I frankly didn't feel up to retaliate on this shitty day. I glanced up at the dark sky, the stars peering back down at me, snowflakes finally greeting this cold night, but at least it was beautiful. Bella pressed her wand to the top of my sweater, and my attention darted back to her. I watched as the refined wood traveled down my chest and across my stomach, a red hot line following suit, until the sweater snapped in half and my dress next.

"A bit of roughhousing should put you back in your place," she smiled, her whisper slow and calm, it was unlike her, and I grew even more terrified. The two Death Eaters exchanged looks, and my stomach churned as I realized what was about to happen. Bella rose to her feet, her eyes brimming with excitement as she watched one of the Death Eaters undo his belt. I struggled as the other Death Eater pinned my arms to the ground, and I screamed louder than I ever had before tears running down my cheeks as I kicked at the man who tried to settle himself between my legs, his hands digging into my thighs as he ripped my leggings, trying to part my legs. A whimper escaped my lips, and the string of curses that left my lips had no effect whatsoever except for maybe spurring on the men that were about to rape me brutally.

Instantly the man between my legs was blasted backward into the horizon of long grass as Bella sidestepped him, his figure disappearing altogether. The man holding me let go just in time to be hit by a bolt of green light. He toppled onto his side, unmistakably dead, and I sat up, reaching to cover my chest. Sev's eyes met mine, and my vision blurred as I looked away. He and Bella immediately engaged each other, Severus deflecting her every spell, he was swift and precise, but despite Bella's usual recklessness, she seemed to be focused this time around. Almost sober if you will.

Severus wasn't breaking a sweat despite his apparent injured state, and I assumed he had run into trouble on his way over here because it's not like I had exactly been quiet. "Do you know why the Dark Lord chose me?" Severus asked the crazed lunatic before him. She fired at him, her impatience growing as she left herself open, but Severus was willing to drag this out further.

"Die!" She shouted. She once again left herself wide open, and with a flick of his wand, an unidentified spell left his mouth. Bellatrix did well to block the attack, but she collapsed to the ground, gasping as she tried to crawl away to safety, blood oozing from the open gashes on her body. Severus stepped over the corpse of the Death Eater he had killed and rose his wand lazily, preparing to finish her off. However, the woman laughed maniacally into the grass, and with the quickness she possessed, she whipped around and aimed her wand at Sev, fizzles of fires sparking to life as she prepared to unleash untamable destruction. I rushed into the fray, tackling Severus to the ground as fire shot out from her wand just nearly missing us, the blazing heat enough to burn part of my already torn sweater.

Without thinking I apparated at Hogsmeade, to the place where Severus had defended me on my failed date, and I sighed rolling off his chest and into the snow, uncaring as the crisp flakes hit my uncovered flesh. However, Severus wasn't having it, and within seconds, I was back on my feet, and he thoroughly looked me over, frowning in the process. He rubbed my cheek, only smearing dirt everywhere, and I grabbed his hand, shaking my head. "Thanks for saving my hopeless ass," I chuckled. Severus, however, did not look amused and I looked down at the snow, unsure what I was supposed to say. If anything he looked haunted, and when he embraced me, I grew silent knowing that words wouldn't do any good at the moment.

He took my hand in his, and we walked through the empty streets of Hogsmeade heading for the castle. Severus looked exhausted, and I stopped him in his track gazing at his forehead, there was a gash, although not too long, noticeable past all the dried blood. "Are you okay?" I asked.

"I'm fine," he scoffed, pushing me along, and I smiled continuing on my way. We passed the black lake, and I strayed from Severus' side as I walked on top of the frozen lake, a goofy smile on my lips.

"It looks pretty at night." Severus followed me out onto the ice, mainly to fetch me so we could return to the castle pronto, but there was nothing wrong with wanting to have fun, even after today. "Don't be scared; it's just ice," I teased.

"I'm not scared," he replied, taking long strides towards me. I stepped carefully along the ice and slid past him, however, took hold of my upper arm, forcing a semi-circle out of me, and then threw me over his shoulder. "You want to play?" it was more of a statement than a question, but a gasp escaped me as he dumped me in a large pile of snow, and I laughed, sweeping him off his feet. Severus fell forward, his face dead against the snow, and I quickly sat up scrambling to form a few snowballs in my defense.

He somehow beat me to it as one smacked me right in the face, and I grinned wiping my face before throwing a snowball back at him. With his godly aim, it was hard to dodge anything, and his predictions only made it worse for me. I really was an open book, to him at least. Even in his tired state, his reactions were on point, dodging and evading each snowball I lobbed at him. I had made it my personal goal to get him at least once, but clearly, Severus wasn't willing to take a snowball to the face.

The patches of woods surrounding the black lake made a great cover as I stockpiled on ammunition. With my snowball now ready, I leaped out from behind my cover, hoping to finally nail the bastard in the face, but instead, I received a fat snowball to the face. It knocked me off my feet, and I fell with a silent thud, a giggle bubbling deep inside. Severus loomed over me, and I finally threw my snowball, and he made no attempt to dodge. He wiped the snow off his face and looked down at me, extending his arm in the process. "I-I think I'm done with snow for tonight," I mumbled, my hands throbbing from the cold.

The halls were still lively, music booming in the distance as we approached the castle, slipping in unnoticed. I forgot that tonight was the night of the Yule Ball, but I hadn't planned on attending, and well the music certainly gave me no regrets. We snuck past snogging couples as we made our way down to the dungeons, Severus memorizing their names so he could take points later. Once we reached his personal quarters, Sev sat me down, and properly looked me over. He stared at the slit lining the front of my clothes, where Bella had taken the liberty of melting my clothes apart but said nothing. With his help, I took off my now newly ruined Christmas present and frowned. "I can fix it," he assured, reading my mind to the letter, and I nodded.

He was, for the most part, silent as I stripped in front of him, keeping my undergarments on. His fists clenched, however, when he noticed the hand shaped bruises forming on my thighs and I took a step back. "It really doesn't hurt that much," I spoke softly, but he shook his head. I knew what was bothering him, but I didn't want to bring up the elephant in the room, at least not today. "I'm fine, really. I'd rather just forget." Sev gave a curt nod respecting my wishes as he took a step back, motioning for me to go wash up, and so I did.

I took a warm bath and nearly fell asleep if it weren't for the knock that echoed at the bathroom door. Sev came in and set two vials on the counter, one for the bruises and the other to help me sleep. I was contemplating my thoughts in the bath, but it seems I was taking far too long as Sev began to check up on me regularly with the excuse that I might drown myself without supervision, which was silly, but I wouldn't argue with him. So, I finally got out of the bath and Sev was kind enough to leave me one of his shirts, but speaking of the devil, I couldn't find him anywhere. The fireplace was lit, and I carried the two vials with me, only drinking the first.

He came back a moment later with a steaming mug of hot chocolate, and I smiled taking a sip, it was the perfect amount of sweet and bitter. I huddled with the blanket gazing into the fire, and Severus knelt in front of the sofa, his eyes peering at the coffee table where the sleeping draught sat idle. "You didn't drink it," he noted.

"I don't want to sleep, yet. I was hoping we could talk, doesn't matter about what," I whispered, taking another sip. The sofa dipped, and Sev took a seat beside me, a glass of firewhiskey in hand, but unlike his usual slow sips, he seemed to be downing the drinks like shots. The contents of his glass refilling on their own as the bottle of firewhiskey moved to keep pace with him.

"I never got you a gift," he stated plainly. He gulped down the rest of his whiskey and set the glass down on the coffee table, marking his stopping point.

"That makes two of us," I mumbled. Unlike Severus, I wasn't done with my chocolate yet, but he set the mug on the coffee table and gently pulled me on top of his lap. The blanket still draped around my shoulders. His lips met my forehead, and I squeezed his shoulders unconsciously, and he smirked, leaning back into the sofa as a lazy smirk graced his lips. "Don't worry. I'll head to bed," I motioned to the sleeping draught on the table, but he shook his head slowly.

"You won't need it..." He captured my lips, his hand slowly prying the blanket off my shoulders and parting from my lips, he rose, leading me towards...his room. Before I could even begin to change my mind, he wrapped a hand around my waist and nudged me forward, no hesitation or uncertainty was present. Severus had always been suggestive, but he always left me a choice, his patience commendable. Despite his moody complexion and condescending attitude, he was a gentleman, but tonight seemed to be different, he was determined. His touch was soft and as gentle as ever, and it was hard to picture this man, his loving gaze, and soft passionate touches as the man who had mercilessly killed scores of men.

His hand slid down to my hips as he hoisted me up into the air, a gasp escaping my lips. "Almost nine years now," he mused. I could smell the lingering scent of firewhiskey on his lips as he spoke, and it was strangely intoxicating. Then he suddenly dropped me on the bed, wasting little time in climbing over me. My stomach tightened, and I stared at the man above, his gaze loving if not somehow arrogant as if he knew something I did not. His hand roamed the sides of my figure, touch as light as a feather, and it would have been ticklish had it not left me aroused in its wake. However, I giggled as he reached my waist, my ticklish nature now revealed as I bit my bottom lip. He seemed amused but didn't let it show for too long as he kissed along my jaw, his lips trailing down the length of my neck, roaming my collarbone and to the exposed flesh of my breast as he began to unbutton the dress shirt he had lent me.

My body burned at his every touch, and what were once giggles now turned into muffled moans. Fear and anticipation welled up inside me as I was now fully undressed, displayed to his liking. However, his eyes never wandered too far from my own, and he paused his hands, one gently cupping my cheek. "I never want to hear those screams again," he confided. My heart skipped a beat momentarily, the elephant in the room making a melodramatic entrance. I wanted to say something, anything, but I feared I would ruin the moment. Thankfully, Severus seemed adamant on keeping me quiet, his lips sealing mine shut as he engulfed me in a long drawn out kiss that stole my breath away.

That night, however, marked a Christmas I would never forget.


	19. XIX - Goblet

Winter break finally came to an end, and thankfully, life resumed as usual, and I was glad to find my wand was returned to me shortly after the incident at the Burrow. Dumbledore saw to that personally. Which led to the inevitable meeting with the headmaster as the head boy passed on the message that Albus wished to see me. It felt like walking to the principal's office after getting into a brawl with a bully, no it was precisely as stated. I took a deep breath approaching the gargoyles, but upon sensing my presence, they revealed the staircase, no password needed.

I walked up the stairs, much slower than I would have liked and stood in front of the dark oak door, my breath hitching as I rested my hand on the handle. It wasn't too late to make a run for it, and why was my heart beating so fast anyway? However, the door opened on its own, and my eyes widened as I glanced to Severus already seated before the headmaster who stood pacing around his desk.

"You asked to see me?" I clasped my hands behind my back, keeping a straight face as my eyes lingered on the headmaster, his eyes met mine, and they softened as he motioned for me to take a seat, but he had not spoken yet, and somehow that frightened me. I took a seat next to Sev, unable to look in his direction for more than a few reasons, but I could feel his gaze burning into me.

"Now as you are aware-"

"I'm sorry, it was all my fault, I should have never said yes to something as stupid as a Christmas party. I take full responsibility so, please don't punish Severus, it was all my idea, and he had nothing to do with it." Silence filled the room, and my gaze lowered to my knees. It reminded me of Tom; the lingering silence as I awaited my punishment for giving a wrong answer, that sickening feeling of anticipation, and not the good kind.

"You're not in any trouble," Albus chuckled softly.

"But I broke one of the rules..."

"Rules do not dictate the outcome of the future." I thinned my lips and nodded, yet that didn't make me feel any better. "Now then, Severus, who came for you?"

"Bellatrix Lestrange as far as I know, but about a score of them came for us-"

"And more were on their way," I added. Tom was growing stronger. He had never been the subtle type, once he attained power, but this was a full on frontal attack. More than twenty Death Eaters had been dispatched. Severus had been right that first night I tried to run away. I wouldn't have lasted ten minutes out on my own, that night at the Burrow was proof of that.

"Rynne-" That night still felt as clear as day, the desperation and the fear. "Rynne!" I looked up at Sev and frowned.

"What?" Albus chuckled, and I didn't really understand what was so funny until I took into account that I had zoned out the both of them. "Oh sorry, I just got caught up in...things." Well, that was an unconvincing answer. Albus looked to Severus, and Sev gave him a long hard stare, before the headmaster took the hint, and dismissed us both.

At those words, I was already on my feet, making my way towards the door, Severus at my heels. "Severus," Albus said at the last second. The two exchange meaningful looks, but I didn't stick around to find out as I slinked out the door, and made haste to my dormitory. I found that two of my roommates had come back today, prepared to begin the routine cycle of classes come tomorrow. I sunk down on my bed and threw the covers on top, forming a small cocoon.

"Why are you so depressed, classes haven't even begun yet." I groaned, and the girls snickered before resuming to unpack their suitcases. I listened to them as they talked about their winter break, and I felt envy. Their lives were so ordinary, no restrictions, no lies—a knock came at the door. I don't think I could handle any more gossip, especially when it came to the relationship department. Then it dawned on me that my relationship with Severus was a secret. The worst part is that it wasn't even forbidden or anything scandalous, yet it felt like it.

"Oh..." the girls quickly mumbled in unison, I didn't have the energy to roll over and see what the fuss was about, but I didn't have to.

"Out," the voice ordered, and I tensed under the covers, why was he here? I heard his footsteps shuffling towards my bed, and I stared at the wall, blinking slowly. "I know you're awake." The bed dipped as he sat on the edge, and I inhaled slowly, not yet willing to release my breath. This was oddly familiar, him being in this room. It was then that I remembered my attack; he had been the one to drag me out of it.

I sat up and nodded, not quite turning to face him, as my eyes remained on the green painted wall. "Do you need something?" I asked, tugging gently at the blanket.

"It has come to my notice that you have been distracted lately, your mind tends to wander, more so than usual."

"I haven't noticed." That was a complete lie.

"You're not fooling anyone. I see the way your eyes wander, your lack of focus and attention. You're not exactly subtle."

"What is that supposed to mean?" I shot back, my voice raising by itself.

"That you're conflicted...and hurt," he ventured, his guess haphazardly thrown in but not incorrect, and I nodded.

"Are you, Severus Snape, worried about me?" I teased. His lips thinned, and he nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He didn't take my teasing very well, and I grabbed the sheets hoping this awkward tension would ease up a bit. "It's nothing. I just have a lot of my mind, that's all. Wait, so you came all this way, just to inquire about my well being?"

"Something is troubling you."

"Something is always troubling me," I countered.

"Stop trying to avoid the question."

"You didn't technically ask one."

"Rynne," he growled, losing his temper as more of his weight sunk on the bed.

"Do you want me to say I'm scared? It doesn't take a genius to figure that out. I know I'm outmatched, and I stand no chance against what is to come. I know that. I know I'm a burden, and at this point, I can't even keep count of how many times you've saved my sorry ass. I know all that, Sev. What do you want me to say? Because I don't know."

"Calm down," he whispered, resting a hand on my shoulder. "Your breathing is becoming uneven."

"What am I supposed to do?"

"What you do best," he instructed. "Getting on other's nerves." I chuckled lightly at that remark and nodded, a sniffle coming out of me as I tried my best to get my emotions under wrap.

"You were always shitty at comforting others, not sure why I thought today would be different."

"A natural," he murmured patting my head and had I not restrained myself I would have bitten his hand.

"Get out," I whined, kicking him off my bed. "You're terrible!" I didn't give him time to retaliate as I pushed him towards the door. Before he could open the door though, he grabbed my wrists, holding them together, his eyes peering down at me. He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to my temple before opening the door and leaving, his glare trailing to the two girls lingering by the wall.

The next days were torturous, and my eyes often wandered to the man who made love to me so passionately. I sometimes wondered how someone so cold and cruel could jail his emotions so well, especially when he was an emotional ticking time bomb. I supposed that was just an expectation at this point, and a survival mechanism, but he was so gentle, so loving. A person doesn't change overnight, but deep down, he knew it, no matter how much he denied it. I slapped my cheeks together, my face heating as thoughts filled my brain.

The twins had a hunch, and would not leave me alone either. Their constant teasing only caused me to become more bashful and embarrassed. And this would go on for at least another week. Although their teasing grew excessive at times, it was a reassurance, that this was real, and not some fucked up erotic dream. It was good, but on the other hand, it also affirmed that everything that happened that night was real and very vivid as well. The fear of dying dwelled in my every thought, and it frightened me. I finally had something I could call my own, and having that ripped from me...I didn't finish the thought.

Viktor took a seat beside me, and I stared with wide eyes as I realized I was in the Great Hall. Wow, I had been so caught up in my own thoughts, I wasn't even paying attention anymore. I felt a pair of eyes on me from a certain dark and brooding man, but I ignored them as I greeted the soon to be champion before me. Viktor was naturally on edge, with the third challenge just around the corner. Dare I say; he looked nervous, his knuckles turning white from how fiercely he clenched his fists. That man was definitely going through a rollercoaster of emotions.

I patted Viktor's back, but that didn't seem to be of much help. I could only offer so much, but seeing him in this state was putting me on edge, and I don't like that one bit. I slammed the table hard, and few eyes turned in our direction, and Viktor visibly flinched, the noise catching him off guard. "You, Viktor Krum, are an idiot—and I mean that, but you're also talented and have a lot of potential. You have come so far, and I know you will do great because despite what some people say, you're dedicated, and I believe in you. Or I'll smack you until I put some sense in that stupid head of yours." To my surprise, he chuckled, his fists unclenching as he struggled to catch his breath.

"Openly rooting for the enemy, you sure aren't very subtle." I glanced up to the high table, professors staring at me with fondness while others shook their heads slowly at my outburst. Sev, however, had a faint smirk on his face, and I looked away, heat rising to my cheeks. This is fine. Lately, I had found myself unable to meet his gaze, it had become so frequent, and I began feeling guilty. So much had happened between us, and it was super embarrassing what happened that night. Words and actions I shall forever be ashamed of, and they could never be taken back.

Did he think differently of me? No, that's ridiculous. I wasn't blind to the sexual tension in our relationship, but it's not something you just act on. "Are you okay?" Viktor asked.

"Oh, uh, yeah," I smiled sitting back down. I didn't have time to worry about myself, for the time being, this was about Viktor, not me. "Anyway, you'll do great, so don't sweat the small stuff, big guy." He nodded visibly relaxing as we exchanged smiles. I knew the burden on his shoulder all too well, the expectations, and the consequences. I had spent 22 years living under the shadow of the Slytherin name. Associated to Tom and his Death Eaters, our family had never been very public, and while it had been announced that the heir of Slytherin had been born, my personal information had never gone past the lips of the Death Eater ranks. Which begged the question, who was I trying to impress? I knew the answer to that question, but now it just seemed silly.

My father had always been proud of me, or so I'd like to believe, even during my dark teenage days. My college years had been the most liberating years of my life, no one to constantly look over my shoulder, no patronizing tones, and no expectations. When you are a part of a powerful and ancient household, only your name matters nothing else. Besides, no one had a face to put to the name, not that anyone knew my first name to begin with.

That being said, on the topic of names...Rynne Salazar Snape, it didn't sound too bad. I'd have to consider my options carefully. During potions, Sev stole a few glances from me, and I blushed keeping my eyes on my cauldron. Ugh, I'm such an idiot, I was probably making him feel awkward about everything, I was practically ignoring him. But rather than looking upset, he had a sort of satisfied smirk on his lips, it was hard to tell from an untrained eye, but I'd like to believe that I knew Severus fairly well.

Honestly, that prick was probably basking in his self-made glory over having me completely surrender myself to him. Yet, I had no regrets, and it was one of the best nights of my life. I couldn't take this silent torture anymore, I finally looked up and shot him a defiant glare, but his eyes only softened before they were replaced with indifference. In the end, he was still the dark and mysterious professor image he had worked so hard to create. I had missed this side of him, his sarcasm, his berating, and even the cold stares—though it terrified students. His intimidating nature was what made him so alluring in the first place, despite his bitter personality though; he was kind and gentle—a giant teddy bear if you will.

I was thankful for all the distractions life had to offer as of late, between Severus being caught up in lesson plans, detentions, and his other duties, he didn't pester me. Viktor also played a part in this, during my open hours, I trained him in more advanced skills to the best of my abilities. I had always been a quick study, and while I understood what was asked of me and performed it flawlessly, I could not say the same about teaching it.

Having a bit of alone time to ourselves was good though, it would seem rather suspicious if we were around each other at all times. It didn't change the nights when I would sneak out of my common room to share a glass of firewhiskey with my best man. Those nights were full of intriguing conversation, about anything and everything. We had always talked in the past, but this was different, having small conversations without having to worry about the small details was a blessing of its own. He was surprisingly open, and even if he agreed with me, just to humor me, he would take the opposing side of the argument and build up from there.

Physical affection was nice from time to time, but I was looking for more than just sexual encounters, and I was glad Severus felt the same way. He brought a sort of adventure to my life, I never found myself having a dull moment around him, and even after eight years, I had never grown bored of him. It was still hard to tell what he was thinking, and he was still as unpredictable as ever, which added to his allure even more. Tonight, however, was different.

My heart beat wildly, my breath hitching as I heard footsteps coming from all directions. Sneaking out did have its drawbacks, using my wand for light was too risky, and I depended on my intimate knowledge of these halls plus my memory to get around. Then, a hand took hold of my arm, a lantern shoved in my face, the light blinding me as I squinted, knowing all too well the face before me. God damn it.

Filch cackled like a maniac, his cat hissing at me from afar, and looking at his face, I could tell the squib was feeling mighty proud of himself. He had just shot a bird out of the sky. His grip was tight as he dragged me along; we weren't heading back to the Slytherin common room, or Sev's personal quarters. Oh god, I was going to die tonight. Who knows what kind of punishment this mental ball of sadism had in store for me. Was he going to hang me by my wrists? I remember Fred and George telling me a story much like this one. What about beheading, those were illegal, right? I could feel my body growing cold, and I tugged back trying to free myself, but the man had a surprisingly good grip, what was he a vice?

His grip only tightened, and I flinched biting my bottom lip. "You're hurting me, let go," I snapped, which only elicited him to clamp down harder, stupid iron grip. A hand took hold of him, and the man blanched upon seeing the professor's face, his brute force enough to bend the man into submission. "P-Professor," Filch greeted with a small hiss retreating as Sev let go.

"I will handle this," Sev droned out, but his eyes were menacing as he looked at Filch, and then at me. I took a step back and wondered if his acting was genuine, had I done something to upset him? Well, I had been caught. I suppose that was reason enough. The squib nodded and departed down the hall, leaving Sev and I alone in a dark hallway, the only light at the tip of his wand. Once Filch was out of the picture, Sev relaxed and raised a brow, an effective way of mocking my stupidity.

"Shut up," I whispered glancing at my feet. Severus loomed over me, and I held my breath, expecting some sort of scolding for my recklessness, but it never came. He placed a single finger beneath my chin, forcing me to look up. He gently grabbed my arm, his hand sliding down to my wrist before he raised it, inspecting the red ring of fingers, and with a sharp exhale, he tenderly kissed it. I cleared my throat and pulled away immediately, trying to keep my blush at bay as I hid my arms behind my back. The paintings were asleep, but that did not make me feel any more comfortable. "That is not appropriate."

"Obviously," he scoffed, and with a wave of his wand, the hall fell at the mercy of darkness. He pressed me against the corridor wall, and captured my lips with his for a brief and tender kiss, his lips then trailing to my ear. "Afraid Salazar might see?" I choked on my own saliva at that comment and pushed him away, taking out my wand to illuminate my surrounding. Severus was already gone. What the hell was that?

The day of the third task was finally here, and I erased Severus from my mind for the time being. In the champion's tent, I clutched Viktor's hand encouragingly and massaged his shoulders, hoping to help him ease up. Despite appearances the meaner Viktor looked, the more anxious he usually was, and some people interpreted that for him being angry. He took deep breaths, closing his eyes as he focused on what was to come, and I smiled. "Remember, always stay calm. You'll think clearly that way. And Viktor," I said, catching his attention as he looked back. "Never hesitate."

With a sharp nod, Viktor gave his assent. I could only remain for so long, and I was eventually shooed away by Albus as he prepared to instruct the champions. After leaving, however, a voice called me back, and I glanced over my shoulder at Viktor. He engulfed me in a bear hug, and I chuckled reciprocating the motion. "Thank you," he whispered. "For everything."

"That's what friends are for. Now, then, don't let me hold you back." With another nod, he left, heading back into the champion's room, and I arrived at the quidditch pitch, amazed at the change of scenery. I found an open seat amongst the crowd, as the champions finally came out onto the field, all of them looking nervous, except Krum, he looked somewhat composed, if not, relaxed. They took turns lining up at the edge of the maze, Viktor first, as per his advantage for finishing in first place during the second task.

Albus took his sweet time explaining the rules, and Viktor glanced towards the stands, and we made eye contact. I waved with a peppy grin, and he couldn't help the smile that tugged at his lips, but he did me the honors of acknowledging me with a small nod. After an awkward delay from the cannons, the champions were off one by one, and I cheered for Viktor, wishing him the best of luck.

The twins bullied the students surrounding me and eventually managed to snag two seats on either side of me. I was smothered between the two, but I didn't care much as I watched the maze intently wondering how long it would take for one of them to find the cup. After a few minutes, all of them had entered the labyrinth. It was incredibly boring having to wait; the most interesting thing to happen was the idle chatting amongst the crowd.

There was nothing to spectate, so I leaned on George's shoulder and yawned, listening to their discussion about new prank ideas, and possible inventions for their future shop. I occasionally gave my opinion on marketing ideas, and they seemed to take it to heart as they further discussed their plans and made small adjustments. A red flare caught my eyes, and the twins immediately jumped into another topic of conversation.

"Who do you think it is?" They asked.

"Probably Fleur," I answered honestly. The twins exchanged spiteful looks, and then sickles were tossed left and right, and I snorted. "No. You didn't seriously bet on her, did you?"

"She's pretty!" George mumbled.

"Yeah, but she doesn't exactly strike me as the courageous type." The twins couldn't disagree with me, and I smirked. I did wonder how Viktor was doing, though. Cedric had his flaws, but he was a pretty smart boy, and not to be underestimated. My vision grew dark, and I rested my head on George's shoulder, not overthinking it.

 _Come to me._

I tensed as the familiar voice echoed through every bone of my body. No. The temptation was overwhelming, and my body moved on its own as I stood from my seat. The twins glanced at me, concern laced in their eyes, and I groaned clutching my head. "You don't look okay," Fred whispered, helping me back down in my seat, trying to draw attention away from us. His voice, however, was overshadowed by Tom's and even though I covered my ears, it didn't help one bit. He was inside my head.

"Get out," I snapped. "Get out of my head." I pushed Fred away as I rose to my feet, walking down the rows of benches, unsure how long I could keep myself under control. Fred and George were on my heels, and George offered his arm, but I shoved him out of my way, my legs moving on their own as the voice only deepened. "Stay away," I warned. "And get out of my head." His words were alluring, but the malice behind them, they kept me sane, kept me from losing myself.

Everything was blurred, the people that walked past me, the stands, the maze, all of it was a blur, and somehow unfamiliar. I felt like a stranger in my own body. I stumbled a few times, catching myself on anything I could reach. I could hear Fred's voice beside me, but his words made no sense, they were slurred, and had I not known better, I might have mistaken it for Parseltongue. My legs carried me away from the quidditch pitch, not too far from the castle, but far enough to be isolated from everyone else.

I fought the intrusion as best as I could, but I could feel myself slipping. I wasn't going to last much longer. I turned in circles, my head spinning, I couldn't even make out the simplest of objects, and I groaned. I clutched my head and fell to my knees, closing my eyes in deep concentration attempting to resist. Fight! Fight it! I repeated to myself, but those words would only allow me to hang on for a while longer.

"What's wrong?" Severus? I looked at the blurred figure at my feet, the tall and brooding dark man of the dungeons, his dark hair cascading around his face. I couldn't see his face properly, but his voice, I could never mistake it. I knew it all too well, the many nights I had shared with him, his usual bored drawl, ever so soft. At that moment, I let my guard down and soon came to regret it as I lost control, falling into the abyss.

I screamed in desperation, not wanting to be swallowed by the darkness, but it engulfed me, and then I knew, I had lost. I had let myself fall into the hands on the enemy. Such a petty and deceptive trick, how could I be so stupid. Severus was right. I was naive. I opened my eyes staring the sky, hazy from the dark mark looming amongst the clouds as they dispersed for me to see it clearly. I sat up, aware of my unfamiliar surrounding, yet I knew it was all in my head. I was safe, my body was still on Hogwarts premises, at least physically.

 _But are you?_ A voice echoed in my head. I grunted as I got up to my feet, ignoring the bitter words taking root in my mind. I remembered this place; it was the graveyard behind the Slytherin mansion. Where all the members of our family had been buried, except for my mother. It's where I would often find Tom reading, he had a weird fascination with the dead, and now I think I understood why. I was there when he first discussed with me his plans for creating the remainder of his Horcruxes.

Everything was as I remembered it. The tombs of our ancestors, the leaning willow tree, its leaves seeming dull and lifeless, much like the graveyard itself. The memory haunted me. It was where he had taken me under his wing, where we had shared parts of ourselves the world would never know. Back when I believed in him and what he was doing, until I saw with my own eyes, the abomination he called the future.

My fingers grazed the trunk of the willow, and I gasped as the bark came off. "You've made it," Tom spoke, his presence suffocating my muscles. He placed a hand on my shoulder, and I tensed, looking back at the horror he had become. No, this wasn't Tom. He was no longer a man, in body or spirit alike. Just a thing that should have never been allowed to come back from death one too many times. I should have never hesitated. I should have never believed in him. Who I had become today would have never hesitated to kill him, would have never hesitated to do what she thought was right.

"That is awfully cold of you," he whispered. That's right he had control over my every thought, everything I saw or heard, he had control over. My mind was his to toy with and manipulate as he pleased, I was just a pawn in his sick game. But for the time being, he was at least civil. "You were never a pawn..." I remained motionless, not interested in starting a conversation I knew I would lose. "You were my most valuable ally. You were my queen. And every king needs a queen on his chessboard. She is the most powerful piece."

"But I'm not a piece," I whispered calmly. Tom's hands slid down my arm, and I stiffened recoiling from his touch. Taking note of my disgust towards him, he only smiled, gently caressing my cheek. I tried to keep my thoughts under control, controlling my breaths as I fought back. I could feel him dredging through my past, through my present, through my memories, the letters to my father, that time with the troll, my first quidditch game, and inevitably, my time with Severus. The moments we had spent together, our arguments, our intimate moments, our conversations, and of course, the first time we made love.

A low bitter chuckle echoed through the graveyard, and I felt violated as I rubbed my arm. His chuckle turned into a deep bark of laughter, and he eyed me cautiously, his eyes holding a spiteful kind of judgment. "How peculiar," he mocked his touch growing violent as he pinned me to the willow tree with a hiss. His eyes burned into mine, a sort of hatred I had yet to experience, betrayal. My heart dropped, my breaths stilled, and my eyes remained fixated on his. However, this was all in my mind, and none of it was real.

"It is very much real," he spat, pressing the tip of his wand into the side of my jaw. He thought otherwise though and grabbed the collar of my shirt, throwing me into the dirt beside one of the graves. Salazar Slytherin. I tried to sit up, but vines emerged from the soil binding my wrists to the ground, and I groaned glaring back at the empty shell of hatred before me. "Crucio!" I buried the side of my head into the soft ground, clenching my teeth together as my nails fastened into the dirt. My body was burning up, and every single one of my veins felt as though they had burst inside my body. His excited squeal was as cruel as I had ever heard it, melting in delight over my agony.

I held back my screams determined to make it through this with all of my sanity intact. This was not real. The same thoughts kept me together, the same words, held the remainder of my mettle. This was all in my head. Even if the pain felt ever so real, everything was all in my head, and I would make it out here, one way or another. That is what I told myself, but it didn't change the fact that I finally broke as a whimper escaped my lips. The sound of my voice only edged him to keep going, but I would not beg. I would never bend the knee because I would rather die with honor than live as a coward. I had made too many mistakes to give up now, even if the pain was too much for a single person to bear.

Lesser men than I had done greater things in the past, and I would honor their sacrifice and take this monster to the grave with me if I had to. I clenched my teeth together and glared at Tom, anger consuming me as I fumed resisting the urge to curse his name into oblivion. Then, his skin bubbled, his head shapeshifting into the greasy haired professor I knew all too well. I looked away, cursing under my breath as he crouched beside me. He smelled like Sev, he spoke like him, hell even his eyes looked at me the way he did. This was just another one of his tricks, and I would not fall for it again. He wasn't the cold, harsh man the world had known him to be, but the gentle and passionate lover he could be.

All that faded as a wave of pain crashed over me, forcing another scream of pain to echo through the graveyard. The senseless torture resumed, and I squirmed my back arching under the pressure, my nails unable to do much other than scratch at the dirt covered ground. This was all in my head. I struggled against the vines tugging at them despite the pain, but my willpower was not enough to overpower the Dark Lord. All in my head. All in my-

 _Are you certain of that?_

"Get out!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, exhausting my voice for the time being. The pain came to a slow stop, and tears pooled down my face. Was this all in my head? Yes. It's all in my head. I can fight this. He can't control me. No one can. I watched as for a mere second, Tom took a step back pressing a hand to his head, and his dark eyes lingered on mine.

"So she fights back." Sev would never do this to me. Severus Snape would never do this to me, period. He is not Sev, no matter how much I repeated those words to myself, there was a feeling of uncertainty in my gut, and although it did not belong to me. It still hurt, tugging on my emotions for confirmation or denial, but I couldn't answer. Another wave of pained crashed through my body in waves, and I found myself unable to breathe as I gasped, my breath hitching midway unable to garner enough oxygen, and black dots filled my vision before the pain faded again and I was left feeling boneless and alone. My tears pooling into the dirt below as I caught my breath.

None of this was real, all of it was just memories, fabricated. It was all a fabrication, and it meant nothing. Absolutely nothing. The image of Severus holding Lily the night she died appeared out of thin air and Severus loomed over me, his hand resting on my collarbone, his head next to mine. "I have never loved you. I will never love you." His hand slid up to my neck, and as he grasped, more tears fell from my eyes as I watched in shock. He added a bit more pressure as he squeezed, his grip becoming tighter as time went on. This is what Tom wanted, for me to feel my own death as the man I loved took everything away from me.

This was all in my head.

All in my head.

In my head...

I opened my eyes to a hand pressed against my neck, the grip loose, but still there. I no longer felt the vines digging into my wrists, and sure enough, Severus loomed over me with a look on concern in his eyes. Tom and his shitty games. Feeling his grip tighten slightly though, I panicked and slapped his hand away, hitting his jaw as hard as I could. I scurried away to put some distance between us. My breaths erratic, and I held my hands to my chest, staring at him. Severus glared at me and then his eyes softened almost instantly as he crawled in my direction. I cried out with a mix of emotions and drew my wand, but Severus was already on me before I could utter out a spell.

He pinned my arm down to the ground, his other hand taking hold of mine and pressing it to his chest. I took a deep and shaky breath feeling his heartbeat reverberate through my hand. The trumpets, and cheers in the distance congratulating the winner of the third task. The castle was standing still behind me, the faint smell of grass and rain. I relaxed staring blankly at the sky, the dark mark replaced by a clear midnight sky and twinkling stars—all in my head.

"Sev?" I whispered. He gave a short but firm nod, and another round of tears escaped, and I groaned. Ugh, I can't believe I hit him. He intertwined his fingers with mine, and I apologized religiously hoping I hadn't hurt him.

"I know," he whispered, placing a kiss on my forehead, he helped me sit up and pulled me into his arms. His embrace was warm, a comfort beyond what words could do. I buried my face in the crook of his neck as I cried, and deep down, I hated myself for it. I didn't speak afraid my voice would fail me, and so I let out a deep sigh and rested my cheek on Severus' shoulder. I really was useless. In the end, I felt like a child. Anyone in my position would have felt the same, but this was my fight too, except I couldn't fight it.

"Getting on everyone's nerves really is my only strong suit, isn't it?" The factual tone in my voice caught Sev off guard, and his arms tightened around me.

"I was mostly joking," he informed.

"Then the joke became a reality." I looked up at him, his eyes clouded with a menacing haze, and I stopped breathing as I looked on at the controlled fury brewing in his hue. He was out for blood, and I shook my head. "No. Please don't do anything reckless," I pleaded, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"I find your lack of faith in me disturbing, Salazar," he drawled, running a hand through my locks, his lips pecking mine softly. I was unable to reciprocate the motion and rested my head on his chest as the world grew out of focus. "Rynne?" His voice rang in my ear, and I closed my eyes, letting fatigue take over.


	20. XX - Quietus

The familiar scent of clean bedsheets and the gentle rays of light filtered through the windows, and the atmosphere was unmistakable. Good old hospital wing, I had been here one too many times this school year. I sat up, massaging my temple as the unbearable throb of pain consumed my senses. I would make sure to repay Tom twenty times over one of these days. I was, however, glad to find myself in the hospital wing because I knew who had brought me here. The small basket of sweets resting on my bedside table brought a smile to my lips, the way it was arranged told me it was from the twins, and I felt a familiar warmth in my chest. It felt nice to have people you could count on, people who were there for you, people I could call precious.

Even though a single blood pop managed to outdo an entire basket of sweets, I don't think anyone could ever get on Severus' level —nope that sounds too sappy. A few more presents were sitting on my bedside table, some from strangers, others from professors, and a get-well card from Viktor and his friends. Oh, that's right, he probably won, I should congratulate him when I get the chance. It felt odd waking up alone, though. I had grown accustomed to always having someone at my bedside when I awoke. I guess this is what I could call a luxury.

I slid off the bed, quickly regretting so as my eyes blurred, and I fell back down. I clutched my head, letting the fuzzy feeling of nausea course through me. The curtains slid open, and Pomfrey stood there, shaking her head at me with a disapproving scowl. "Goodness me, children, always so eager to leave in a rush." She disappeared from my sight and came back seconds later with a vial, the dark liquid striking terror into my very soul.

"You know, I feel quite alright, really," I protested raising my hands defensively, hoping my puppy eyes would win me this one. Pomfrey, however, did not buy it and shoved the vial in my face, her eyes daring me to defy her. If even Severus couldn't manage to outmaneuver this woman, my chances were slim at best. So, with a sigh, I took the vial deciding to get this over with. In one swig, I downed the contents of the vial and was pleasantly surprised to find that —ah nevermind. The aftertaste is still absolute shit. I covered my mouth and shoved the vial away from my face ushering for Pomfrey to take it. I hate everything. I wanted to go back to being a kid, back when medicine always tasted like fruits.

"A certain someone would like you to take it easy today, and not burden your body too much."

"And that certain someone is..?" I grinned silently nudging Promfrey to admit the name aloud.

"I'm afraid that it is confidential information." Bull.

"Fine, but am I free to go?" Pomfrey gave a subtle nod, and I was out of bed before she could change her mind. Lockhart laid only a few beds away, his obnoxious voice echoing through the hospital wing as he whined to Pomfrey. Something about the unfairness of life, and of course, his dashing good looks. I was kind of happy he had lost his memories of that night, it would have been extremely awkward otherwise. It was also the only reason Albus agreed to keep him aboard. Still, seeing that boyish face of his irritated me beyond belief. It took a massive amount of restraint for me not to shove my knee where the sun didn't shine. I took a deep breath and calmed myself as I collected the numerous baskets on my bedside table.

"Oh for the love of Merlin! Gilderoy, you can go already," the woman growled shooing him away. This was definitely a déjà vu moment if I ever had one. Sadly, being dismissed at the same time meant that we were leaving the hospital wing together, and I scowled as he tried to make conversation with me.

"Oh, I didn't see you there, Rynne. So, how has it been?" I held my hand in the air and glared at him.

"Do not talk to me."

"Playing hard to get, I see," he chuckled. Oh my lord —where in the bloody seven hells is my wand! Stupid Severus. However, the menacing aura surrounding me told him otherwise, and he nodded purposefully taking a left when the opportunity arose. Good, I'm glad my glares are still somewhat effective in this fucked up world. Once Lockhart was out of my hair, I unwrapped the blood pop and went to town. In all our years together, he had never forgotten the simple things I enjoyed, which begged the question as to what type of candy he liked. He did say sherbet lemons on the train, but I assume that was to get me off his case. To be frank, I don't think I ever saw him snack on anything in particular. If he even liked anything.

I don't know how long I was asleep for, but it was already well into the afternoon as far as I could tell and classes were already in session. It seemed like a waste of time to attend, so I spent my precious time wandering the castle. Albus seemed to have been made aware of my wandering form as I was soon ambushed, but the scolding I was expecting was replaced by idle chatter as we strolled through the corridors. Albus was always one to beat around the bush before hitting a subject, but sometimes he got straight to the point. Today, however, it did not seem as though he had an objective in mind, he was simply making conversation, and it was unexpectedly...nice. I retired to my room afterward, despite having slept for most of the day, I was still exhausted, and my bed seemed to agree as it offered me passage into the land of darkness.

The next morning, I awoke early and slinked out of my dormitory freshening up along the way, the great hall held a scarce populace, but I was starving. I had only eaten a blood pop the day before, no offense to all the other sweets I had received, but I wasn't in the mood for sweets. Most of the professors were absent, and I couldn't blame them; it was Saturday, and I would have at least slept in until the sun had fully risen above the horizon. I grabbed a copy of the daily prophet and skimmed through its content as I ate my food.

It came as no surprise when most of the pages were full of petty and irrelevant gossip that I couldn't give less of a shit about. However, the third to last page caught my attention, and I choked on my pumpkin juice cursing silently as I wiped the yogurt stain from the edge of the paper. A fourth-year Slytherin was found dead, his body hidden in the woods. I stared long and hard at the pale corpse in the article, that mark on his arm, the poor boy. He had been found yesterday afternoon, but his time of death was a few days prior. I read the rest of the article and frowned as the author bashed on the poor boy for his allegiance to the Death Eaters. Poor boy probably did not have a choice, and he declined to do something horrid because he knew he couldn't live with himself if he did, and in the end, he was murdered in cold blood for it.

I put aside the copy of the daily prophet and ate my breakfast in silence. Every time I closed my eyes, though, I pictured Sev's corpse, knowing that could have always been him. A hand settled itself on my shoulder, and I jumped, turning around to punch the person. Viktor blocked my punch and laughed. "What has you so on edge?"

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to," I laughed nervously, realizing Viktor was still holding onto my wrist, I pulled my arm back and hid them behind my back. "Sorry about that. Anyway, congratulations and told you so," I teased.

"Pft, I knew I would do just fine," he said, giving me a subtle wink.

"Yes, yes, preserve your pride."

"Yeah, well, thanks for everything." A small blush crept up his cheeks, and he pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to act casual. I saw his eyes darting around the great hall, and I could see him scavenging for a new topic of conversation. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"What do you mean?"

"You gave everyone quite a scare the other day. Professor Snape was carrying you to the hospital wing-"

"Yeah, he looked ready to have a heart attack, you should have seen the look on his face," Fred interrupted, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. I growled at him and went to bite his hand, but he pulled away and laughed, George, smirking as he entered the conversational circle.

"Damsel in distress," they joked. Their jokes didn't quite pair with their eyes though, they were clearly worried, and it made me feel awkward, I didn't want to deal with this right now.

"Yeah, yeah. I get it. I wasn't feeling well, it's nothing serious, beside Pomfrey took good care of me so stop teasing me," I huffed shooing them away. I glanced back to Viktor and smiled. "Thank you for the card, and again, congratulations." The rest of breakfast was bleak as the headmaster took to his seat. A long silence prevailed as we honored our fallen comrade. It was the first time Albus had spoken in such a grave tone, I'd heard many speeches from him, but none quite like this one, and it left me feeling vulnerable, not to mention the lingering pair of dark orbs constantly gazing my way.

Students were beginning to make their way out of the castle, their sight set on Hogsmeade to enjoy their weekend. I was dressed for the occasion, my trusty hoodie prepared to face the cold breeze outside, but my legs disagreed. "You not coming, Rynne?" The girls asked. "No, I think I'll stay in this weekend, you guys have fun." They didn't argue with me as the three of them slipped on their cloaks and exited the room, shutting the door behind them. Once the coast was clear, I made my way through the corridors of the dungeons and stopped in front of the potions classroom.

Severus wasn't one to take breaks, and considering it was Saturday; he was probably marking papers. I knocked quietly, not wanting to attract unnecessary attention and the voice that came after sent chills down my spine. "Enter." I opened the door slightly, keeping it ajar as I peeked my head in, and seeing his attention fully on the parchment below him, I lurked in. However, one step into his room and his head snapped in my direction, his full attention on me. The normal Severus would have perhaps scoffed and resumed marking, but this one set down his quill and took a good look at me. His demeanor was unreadable. "I see you're doing better," he said casually as if the events of that night had not bothered him in the least, but I knew better.

"Yes. Pomfrey gave me...something? It was mostly the blood pop, though." He shook his head at my answer and resumed marking papers. Had he just avoided eye contact with me? I grinned and took a seat across from his desk.

"Wipe that grin off your face."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"If you're here to bother me, then make yourself useful," he grumbled.

"Of course," I whispered teasingly splitting the stack of papers in half. Half-way into the pile, I paused and glanced at Sev. "So these papers are your third years?"

"Yes."

"Yikes."

"Oh believe me," he sighed. "I know."

"Maybe you're just not engaging enough," I commented. His eyes shot up, and that glare almost made me laugh had it not been the definition of intimidating. "I'm just saying."

"If you're well enough to make remarks, get busy." I nodded, deciding to keep my mouth shut for the rest of the hour, as I helped him mark papers. The silence wasn't uncomfortable, but it was strange. I finished my stack of papers and set them in a neat pile above the ones he had finished grading. I didn't want to linger any longer than I had to, so I rose from my seat and set the quill on the edge of his desk as I made my way to the door. "Salazar," he sighed. "My job is not to entertain _children_."

"You entertain me, don't you?"

"You're not a child," he retorted. "And you're not…" he had a hard time finishing his sentence but decided not to bother as he left it off at that. His expression turned grim, and with a wave of his wand, the tables and chairs scooted against the walls, one lone chair remaining in the center of the room. His chair. "Sit." I heard the familiar click of the door as it locked and Sev cast a silencing charm on the room. If his goal was to scare me, he had won. "The Dark Lord has already managed to invade your mind once, and he will attempt it again, so take a seat."

I plopped down in his chair, finding the fabric to be surprisingly comfortable despite the overused piece of furniture, Sev practically lived in this chair. He drew out his wand, and I took a deep breath, my hands reflexively gripping onto the armrests. "You're acting as though I am about to kill you."

"I mean, are you?" He frowned, and I let out a nervous chuckle. "You know I hate these sessions, I always have."

"The first time I taught you occlumency was purely for the sake of learning the basics and...to defend yourself against intrusions. As you know, though, the Dark Lord is a force to be reckoned with. It took me decades to master the art, and at your age, I did not expect you to master such a complicated process. It demands focus, and now more than ever, you must learn to control your emotions, to discipline your mind because the Dark Lord will not hesitate to turn every memory against you."

"Is that why you never blamed me?" His eyes narrowed, and I stiffened as his palms made contact with the armrests, his form leaning down as he peered into my eyes, the intensity enough to make me flinch.

"Despite your guilt-complex, I assure you that mistakes were made on all fronts, not just yours. To blame you would be unjust and irrational, and I am a man to hold a grudge." He pressed his forehead to mine, and I held my breath, closing my eyes. "There is only one person to blame."

"I know."

"Then act like it," he snapped, retreating to a standing position as he adjusted his robes. He turned his back to me and took three steps back before turning to face me. "I will attempt to penetrate your mind. You will attempt to resist. Prepare yourself." I gripped the chair, feeling an all too familiar pang in the back of my head. I stared at Severus, maintaining to keep him at bay, but the longer it went on, the more I felt myself slipping. "You are still in control, focus," he ordered. I closed my eyes and focused on taking deep breaths, attempting a war of attrition against the powerful force hitting at my mental walls.

However, the sudden intensity caught me off guard, and just like that he was in. He searched through my mind, picking the days I spent in the muggle world when I was bullied in high school, the day I regretted losing my virginity, my first encounter with Tom, and the day I lost my mother. All these events were in no proper order, but they were all memories I would never forget. There were still many he had yet to uncover, but fortunately, his voice snapped me out of my memory lock. "Feeling sentimental?" I pushed him out in an instant, and he did not resist.

"That was uncalled for," I hissed.

"Not to the Dark Lord." His mind was dredging into mine. "Focus," he drawled. His presence grew stronger by the second, and I countered attempting to penetrate his mind, but he pushed me out, and in turn, invaded my mind again. Even though he was in, I still had control over what he could see, and I threw the false memories of the night Tom had tortured me. The false memories of Severus torturing —he pulled away instantly and took several steps back until he nearly hit a desk.

"Feeling uncomfortable?" I sneered. His glare was menacing, but in all fairness, he had it coming, but he pushed aside his pride and nodded.

"The goal, however, is to keep him out, once in, there is no telling what the Dark Lord could do."

"What if I let him in? If our minds are linked, then that also means he is vulnerable." Severus nodded but was displeased with the thought.

"It's dangerous…"

"Dangerous is my middle name," I smirked.

"That is exactly what concerns me. You are as reckless as you are capable." We called it a night at that point, but something seemed to be on his mind.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I cannot stop you from being reckless and endangering yourself, but at the very least, I can prepare you." I placed my hand against his considerably larger one and smiled. He more than anyone could understand the concept of duty, and sometimes, you have to do what you have to do. I stood on the ball of my feet and pressed my lips to his for a quick kiss before breaking it off.

"More than anything, I don't want to lose you. I'll be more careful, but I can't make any promises. You know that's not how life works." His hand squeezed mine tighter as his fingers intertwined with mine, his troubled gaze upon me. His lips crashed against mine, the kiss was rough and possessive, but in a Severus way, I assume that meant he was scared or anxious in some form.

"Goodnight," he hummed, releasing my hand, but I had to pry him off my lips because he obviously didn't take his own words seriously. I gave his cheek a quick peck before making my way out of his classroom, but I couldn't find it in me to look over my shoulder as I closed the door. I was afraid of seeing what kind of face he was making, which sounded silly when I thought about it. Still, to discipline the mind, huh? I wondered how I was supposed to do that, but the reality was that Severus was taking it easy on me.

When it was just us two, focusing did not prove to be an issue, but when the time came, I would have to be able to maintain my focus while also fending for my life. It seemed like an impossible feat from my point of view. How was I supposed to master the art of occlumency in so little time? Severus had spent decades perfecting his occlumency, and I was a newborn compared to him. The more I thought about it, the more overwhelming the task at hand became. Severus was used to restraining himself, and although he was easily pissed off, he, for the most part, always kept himself in check, making sure never to cross the line. Could I manage to pull it off in a few months...if I even had that kind of time.

I couldn't help being moody at breakfast, I had barely slept, and Viktor would be leaving in a few hours. The twins were busy planning their next prank, or whatever it is they do around here. Poking at my egg, I sighed, cutting it in half, watching the yolk run down. Even this freaking egg is making me feel depressed. "Screw you, egg," I cursed under my breath. I felt a pang in the back of my head and set down my fork, rejecting the presence. I looked up to the high table, Sev's eyes focused solely on me as he munched on his food. I kept eating, but trying to concentrate in such a public place was driving me nuts, the conversations, the sound of owls dropping off mail, pages of the daily prophet rustling. It was driving me mad.

He broke through my defenses in a matter of minutes, and upon entering my mind, he pulled away instantly and resumed his conversation with Minerva. This had become a common occurrence for the rest of breakfast, him trying to pry into my mind, and me resisting him to the best of my abilities. I didn't want to admit that his relentless assault was slowly building up my endurance. Still, I was utterly exhausted by the end of it, and my head throbbed from all the invasions. Thankfully, he finally gave it a rest when I shot him a vividly hateful glare, and he nodded to acknowledge my annoyance.

As noon approached, I made my way to the courtyard, but quickly regretted my decision as I looked on at the crowded space before me. There were too many students around, and seeing all the tall figures blocking my line of sight, I gave up. There was no way I was going to find Viktor in this crowd, but I should at least try. It would be rude not to. Everyone wished each other good luck and goodbyes, friends sharing last laughs before the students of Durmstrang and Beauxbatons had to depart. As suspected, I couldn't find Viktor, so I headed back to the castle, squeezing my way through crowds of students who didn't move aside despite my polite attitude.

I cursed under breath and shoved people out of my way as I grumpily made my way to the gilded doors leading into the castle. A hand took hold of my wrist gently tugging me backward, and I glanced back at Viktor who's smile was wide enough to put even those cheeky Gryffindors to shame. "Where are you headed?" he asked, and that boyish grin of his made me want to punch him.

"Well, I couldn't find you, so I was gonna go take a nap."

"You wound me." I took a good look around at the crowd of sniffling and giddy teenager with particular disgust and took a step back.

"We're not going to be like that, right?" I asked. Viktor shrugged as he pulled me into a bear hug, and out of nowhere, the twins joined in, and eventually, a group hug happened, but no one was willing to let go. "Please stop," I whispered.

"It was a pleasure meeting you, my friend." I nodded, shaking his hand affectionately, and he smiled softly, placing his other hand on top of mine. "Thank you for everything, and take care." It was sudden, but Viktor leaned down and planted a small kiss on my forehead, chuckling at my reaction. Oh, what the hell. I gave him a big hug and squeezed as tight as I could.

"Yeah, I'll miss you. I want to say I'll write to you, but let's be honest, I'm a lazy prick." We both exchanged hearty laughs at my comment, and he smirked, lifting me off my feet for a quick second before parting from the hug. We gave each other a manly fist bump to counteract our previous embrace, and I grinned. "Make sure you keep up with your studies and don't do anything I wouldn't do!" I yelled after him, watching his broad form slowly disappear behind crowds of students. However, he glanced over his shoulder, that reassuring smile on his lips was all I needed to see to know he would do great.

I felt somewhat relieved that Viktor was now out of the way, there was too much going on, and I wouldn't forgive myself if he were ever caught up in any of it. Igor made his way across the courtyard, students parting to let him through, and as if on cue, the students of Durmstrang followed him. His eyes lingered on me, their form squinting into a glare, and to be honest, I had almost forgotten about him. Igor had done his best to keep a low profile, and it was for the best, or I'm not sure he would have left Hogwarts in one piece.

That being said, I had bigger things to focus on. I spent every drop of free time meditating, trying to discipline my mind. The twins assisted in my emotional development after I coaxed them to try their best to provoke me, and they could be an annoying bunch. Ultimately though, I do believe Severus would agree that the best defense is offense. My nights were spent in his classroom as he forced his way into my mind, it was slow progress, but in a few days, I had apparently made good progress. Or so he said.

Still, it became tiring always having to ward him away, always having my walls up and expecting the unexpected at any time of day. I took a seat beside the Hippogriff watching as students tried their hand at rounding up pixies. The creature purred and rubbed its nuzzle against my cheek, its eyes pleading for me to feed it. "No, don't you look at me like that. Hagrid already fed you, you needy Hippogriff." It took a few steps back and lowered its head, an effective way of pouting at me, and I sighed. "Fine, but just one, understood?" It nodded, and I walked over to the meat bag taking a morsel and tossing it into the air. After getting what he wanted, Buckbeak went back to grazing in the sun while I watched the students struggle. Hagrid wouldn't admit it, but he was definitely amused from time to time when certain students struggled.

I stepped into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom a bit late as I had to clean up after students and pixies alike and groaned as Lockhart shot me an understanding smile. "Better late than never. Now, gather around." I had a terrible feeling about this because if I had to reign in a legion of imps again, I was going to lose my marbles. Dragging out an odd-looking wardrobe, he asked us to line up, and so we did, and somehow I managed not to be first, that was a good start.

I had become a sacrificial entity as of late in some of my classes, mostly when it came to Lockhart. "This," Lockhart motioned to the wardrobe. "Is a boggart —daunting, I know. I know." I frowned unsure what boggarts were doing in a seventh-year lesson plan. Sure I had never attended Hogwarts before, but boggarts were a rather early subject in magic education, as far as I was concerned, but this was the Gilderoy Lockhart we were talking about here.

A girl raised her hand, and Lockhart gave a boyish smile urging for her to speak. "We've already studied boggarts." Lockhart raised a brow momentarily caught off guard as he cleared his throat. However, he improvised, and instead chuckled, clicking his tongue at her.

"Ah, Miss Curvon, with the recent rise in Death Eater activities, one can never be too careful. Having faced quite a few myself-" Here we go again. "I can assure you that refreshing your skills should never be underestimated." I mean I guess he had a point there. It was the wrong set of skills to refresh, but oh well... "Now then, don't be shy. Come on up, come on up!" A few kids rolled their eyes, already prepared to go. I waited my turn watching as students watched the boggart turn into their biggest fear, and with indifference, they cast the charm. As a child boggarts are horrifying, but as you grow older, it's not that they're scary, it's more of an unsettling feeling instead.

A few giggles and snickers echoed around the classroom, and I had to admit there were some creative minds in here. And finally, it was my turn, and as I stepped up to the boggart, I wasn't too sure what to expect. My biggest fear could be anything, I had read about boggarts, but I don't think I'd ever encountered one before. The boggart shape-shifted into Tom, the younger version of him before he attempted to split his soul one too many times. I frowned, unsure whether this could be considered a fear or not. Then, his flesh began to melt off, and I took a step back, a puddle of blood forming underneath the lump of mangled flesh he had become. His hand reached towards me, a single crooked and bony finger pointing at me, his eyes peering into mine. He let out a strangled cry as his hand dropped, his nails scratching at the wooden floorboards. I stiffened much like that day, I hesitated, and after a long and dreadful silence, I pointed my wand towards the inhuman corpse and mumbled the charm watching it turn into a giant blood pop with big round eyes and a smile, like a cartoon character.

The class was silent, a few whispers going around, and I clenched my fist, ignoring everyone as I calmed myself. Control your emotions. Discipline your mind. I sheathed my wand inside my robes and walked out of the classroom without a word. I spent the rest of the day seated on my bed, meditating once more, and fighting the dark thoughts in my head. Although I didn't have much of an appetite, I was still hungry. Dinner was almost over, but I was certain I could sneak out a snack or two. I still had nightmares about that day, but for the most part, I had tried so very hard to forget, not keen on revisiting them, but that's not how life worked.

I took a seat at the Slytherin table, my fellow comrades scooting away, and I couldn't blame them. Why couldn't my biggest fear be spiders, that was a common fear. Instead, it looked like I had turned a man into a puddle of mangled limbs and blood, not a good image if you ask me. I blamed Lockhart; everything was always his fault. In the end, I just ended up brooding, poking at my food with no real intention of eating it.

The twins took a seat beside me and sighed. "Look at her, all upset because Viktor left, I guess we're just not good enough for her." George nodded in agreement, and they both sighed dramatically. I let out a small laugh and looked at them.

"I'm pretty sure you guys are more upset than I am over his departure." I challenged them to deny that statement, but they never did, instead changing the topic.

"Aww, but you guys made such a cute couple," Fred cooed.

"Yep, a total item," George continued.

"Almost as if you two were...perfect for each other," they snickered.

"Weasleys, you've just bought yourselves a week's worth of detention and five points each from Gryffindor," Snape snarled smacking the two on the back of the head with the black notebook he was holding. He made his way to the high table, his robes billowing after him, the twins grumbling as they rubbed the back of their heads.

"Wow, you two are…" I couldn't even finish that sentence and sighed, getting up from my seat. I wasn't feeling up for company, so I wished them a good night and headed to my room preparing for an uncomfortable night. Before I exited the great hall, I felt a familiar throb in the back of my head and glanced back at Sev who subtly tilted his goblet in my direction. I gave him a half-hearted smile and retired to my room.


	21. XXI - Full Swing

I sat at the Slytherin table, eating my toast in peace, the daily prophet reading the same old news. The handle was slipping, and the ministry of magic couldn't do a damn thing, because corruption always found a way in, all it took was a single person. I felt a tug in the back of my mind and put down the paper glancing at Severus, a little less than pleased. Still, I couldn't help but smile, as promised, he was still at it, dedicated to preparing me, or rather my mind for the oncoming onslaught. Keeping him at bay was the easy part; the hard part was dealing with the frustration of knowing he was holding back.

I appreciated him taking things slow, it was odd though, Severus could be pretty intense, and by that, I meant we usually dove right into the action. However, today was half-day, and I seriously needed to catch up on all my homework—I should award myself a star for being dedicated to my role as an overachieving student. That was my plan for the day, but honestly, I didn't have it in me to study.

Even with the gloomy atmosphere, the sun was as radiant as ever, and it was some quality A grade bullshit. Hufflepuff always got to play during the perfect weather, while I had to bust ass in freezing ass rain. Still, though, Ravenclaw vs. Hufflepuff wasn't exactly the highlight of my day. Quite boring. It was better than sitting inside brooding with an insufferable headache. "You know Snape's been in a better mood lately, anything to do with that?" Fred asked.

"I haven't done anything in particular, but lately we've been spending a lot of time together." To that, the twins exchanged winks, and I sighed, of course, that's the first thing that comes to their mind.

"You mean you haven't shagged him?"

"When I do or don't fool around happens to be none of your concern." I ignored the twins as they continued rambling on about my love life, but on the topic of Severus, I couldn't see him anywhere. Then again, he rarely showed himself, except for Slytherin games, and even then it could be a fifty-fifty. I knocked at his door, awaiting an answer, but when it never came, I opened the door anyway and entered.

"It's bad to remain cooped up all day," I scolded taking a seat beside him. He acknowledged me with a curt nod, his quill scrambling across the parchment. As usual, he split the stack, and I helped him half-heartedly, my mind wandering off in some faraway place.

"Rynne." I glanced up, meeting Sev's eyes, and he looked particularly irritated.

"What?"

"I called your name three times…" he muttered under his breath, his quill tapping against mine and I realized it had stopped moving.

"Oh, yeah, sorry." I felt him trying to pry into my head and shot him an annoyed glare. "Well, you've got my attention now." And that was the tragic story of how I ended up alphabetizing his ingredient storage. Busy work was my definition of relaxation these days, kept my mind occupied, and an occupied mind was a mind at peace. I noticed a few missing vials, and considering I was a regular in this storage area for more than one reason, I knew the inventory numbers.

Sev caught me by surprise as he placed both hands on my shoulders, and I looked up, kissing his chin. He looked momentarily taken back until I snapped him out of it. "You have missing ingredients, should I be worried?"

"I am quite aware. Thank you, Miss Salazar," he drawled.

"Hey, I'm only telling you the facts, big man." He placed a kiss on my temple and wrapped his arms around my waist. "What are you doing?" I asked, feeling his lips lingering on the exposed flesh of my neck. It was a welcomed feeling, but this wasn't the time or the place. I tapped his arm gently, calling for him to stop, but all I heard in return was an annoyed grunt. Albus cleared his throat, and Sev's eyes shot up, narrowing at the headmaster.

"Am I interrupting?" By the knowing look and smirk on his face, he already knew the answer to that question, but that didn't stop the blush rising to my cheeks.

"Yes," Severus growled, letting go of me.

"Well, I'm sure Severus will not mind if I steal you away for a bit." I chuckled silently as Albus suppressed a laugh, and walked out of the ingredient storage, waving a brief goodbye to a fuming Potions Master. However, his anger was replaced by annoyance and rubbing his temples, he motioned for us to get out of his classroom. As I closed the door behind us, Albus held out his arm for me, and I gave him a skeptical look as I intertwined my arm with his.

"Your timing is always awfully convenient."

"Severus has been teaching you occlumency, or so he has told me, how is that coming along?" I ignored the fact that he had evaded my previous comment, but this matter did take precedence.

"It's taking longer than I would like it to, but there's no rushing it, I suppose. I've had moments with Tom, and it's been hard, he can make me see and hear things, and I can't tell them apart from reality sometimes."

"So I heard," the headmaster trailed off. We came to a stop at the end of the corridor, the hall eerily silent, no students in sight due to the on-going quidditch match.

"Wait, sir, aren't you supposed to be spectating?" I asked.

"Who said I wasn't?" The older man smiled, a twinkle in his eyes. "As long as one truly believes, anything is possible." I nodded, my brow raising in amusement at his corny line. He disappeared in thin air, and I passed my hand through the space he had previously occupied. That's so neat. Still, it wasn't a valid reason to interrupt our intimate moment. I returned to the potions classroom, but Sev was gone and I sighed, rubbing my temples. I couldn't catch a break.

My headache returned in the morning, and not for the reasons one might think. The first thing I wanted to hear after entering the great hall is undoubtedly not Lockhart. I regret having woken up late, the great hall had been turned into an arena, and with it, the tables holding my most beloved: food. I yawned scouting the crowd of students for anything remotely interesting, but nothing, in particular, caught my eye. On second thought, I should have stayed in bed.

A plate was thrust in my face, and I glanced at the sugary contents and smiled. "Your breakfast, my lady," George announced in an overly graceful manner.

"Oh, thanks, I was kinda hungry." I snatched the plate and chomped down on the slice of banana bread. "Oh, strawberry tart too? You shouldn't have."

"That was actually for-" I slapped his hand when he tried to take it and hummed a no in his direction.

"Don't care, mine now." Lockhart emerged from the crowd of students taking the stand on the walkway, his arrogant smile making me chomp down harder on my breakfast. He stood proudly, turning in a slow circle to admire the crowd of students, lavishing in the adoration of the female populace. This couldn't be good.

"Welcome to the Dueling Club!" He presented loudly, raising his arms in the air. Professors around the room began clapping, and I imagined it's not because they wanted to. My eyes drifted, to the dark and broody professor climbing the steps onto the walkway, he stood as far away from Lockhart as he could, his eyes meeting mine, and I shrugged. "As many of you know...unfortunately, I present to you, Professor Snape, who so graciously agreed to help me demonstrate the fine art of dueling. And he may, in turn, learn something new and astounding today."

Lockhart winked, and I stared back and forth between the two professors, hoping one of them wouldn't execute the other on the spot. Gilderoy was walking down a dangerous path. Still, the irony could make even a toad laugh, Severus was perhaps the best dueler I had ever known. Powerful wizards were flashy, but Severus was very minimal in the ways he took down his opponents. "Due to recent events, Dumbledore has asked me to start this little dueling club, so that you may all learn to defend yourselves when the time may come. Which I have personally done on many occasions." He strutted along the length of the catwalk, and with a boyish smile, he turned to face the largest group of students. "For full detail, please refer to my books." Wow. Shameless.

Lockhart took off his cape, dramatically throwing it into the audience of students, girls squealing as they fought for the item of their desires. The twins snickered beside me, and I couldn't help but smile as I glanced in their direction. I heard murmurs about how brave Lockhart was, but oh they couldn't be further from the truth. I could still hear his child-like cries as the pixies escaped from their cages, it would have made for a good photo. Snape walked up with confidence, but his posture oozed with annoyance. The men stood slightly apart, holding their wands vertically in front of their bodies, staring into each other's eyes. I assumed a few silent words were shared, but it was inaudible to my ears. They then bowed and facing away from each other they took five strides before turning around, wands at the ready as Lockhart began counting to three.

On the count of three, Severus took a step forward, his elegant form fluid as he aimed his wand. "Expelliarmus!" The spell hit Lockhart in the chest, sending him flying across the walkway. He hit the ground with a loud thud, holding his chest as the air had been knocked out of his lungs. He sat up with a bit of difficulty, and I could hear some of the students laughing, and Fred fist-bumped me.

"Oddly satisfying," they murmured. I nodded in agreement, Sev's eyes met mine, and I smirked, he acknowledged me with his usual curt nod but remained indifferent.

"An excellent demonstration Professor Snape, but in my line of work, I must say, it was pretty obvious. Of course, if I had wanted to block, it would have only been too easy," He chuckled getting back on his feet as he strutted back to the center of the dueling platform. I rolled my eyes at the man's pride. His ego and arrogance were too much for my eyes, and it physically hurt to watch.

"Perhaps it would be more prudent to teach the students how to block unfriendly spells first," Severus countered, his lips twitching into the ghost of a smirk. Lockhart's confidence faltered for a slight second before he smiled and adjusted his posture.

"An excellent suggestion, professor. Now then, let's have a volunteer pair, shall we?" Lockhart's eyes trailed off into the crowd. He picked a 7th-year Hufflepuff and motioned for him to get up on the walkway. I could feel Sev's eyes on me, and unlike Lockhart, he remained standing in his spot, hands locked behind his back as I made my way up onto the walkway.

"I don't really want to do this," I sighed. "Can't you pick someone more on par with his level?"

"Don't be ridiculous Salazar, you will only be blocking," he scoffed, pushing me forward. And now, all eyes were on me. Great.

"You're sleeping on the couch tonight…" I mumbled, earning myself a playful glare from him. I strode up to the Hufflepuff, staring into his eyes, and frowned. Why was he looking at me like that? It's not like I was scary. We bowed to each other before taking five steps back, and he turned, casting an immediate spell in my direction. I blocked with a quick wave of my wand and waited for another spell to come my way.

"Good, now then, Miss Salazar, feel free to counter with a spell of your own." I took a step forward, aiming my wand at the boy, glancing back and forth from the Hufflepuff to Lockhart. I felt a tug at the back of my head, and I glared back at Severus. Now was hardly the time for this, but the presence felt much stronger than it usually did. My body froze as I realized this was not Severus. My head throbbed with every second I managed to keep the intruder from prying into my mind. Just keep him at bay. No, not now, Tom.

It was too late, he was already in my mind, and I sucked in a deep breath, holding it. "Well, what are you waiting for, Salazar?" Snape's distorted voice demanded. I looked into his eyes, willing myself to let him know, but I couldn't. My body wouldn't move, and I didn't know what face I was making.

 _Yes, what are you waiting for?_

Tom smiled, he appeared so vividly in my mind, taking long strides along the pathway, stopping in front of me. It was if the world had stopped moving, everything felt so slow, yet my heart raced amidst the chaos. This wouldn't end well, my gut told me this much, and I had a feeling I would be the one drawing the short stick. I thought I was making progress, but my occlumency skills would have made anyone laugh.

 _Are you scared?_ He raised his hand, pointing a finger at me. _Is this how you plan to defeat me?_

I ignored his taunts, taking a deep breath to control my emotions. I still retained some control. I managed to push him out once, and I could do it again. _You cannot push me away. I am a part of you now, and you will feel the pain you have inflicted upon me until you beg for your own death._ He's just taunting you, Rynne. It doesn't mean anything.

 _I've always wondered who would be more fun to torture. Let you watch Severus die before your eyes, or vice versa, I haven't taken my pick yet._ He flashed a sneak peek of what was to come into my head, and a tear escaped down my cheek. Feelings bubbled in my heart, the despair I felt wasn't mine, but it hurt so much, I couldn't control my tears.

"Salazar."

 _I will make you watch as I strip Severus of his flesh, watch as his blood pools the floor. Hear his cries of agony echo. I will show you the true meaning of despair._ Tom aimed his wand at me, and with a final smile, the words escaped his lips. "Crucio."

He faded with booming bark of laughter, his satisfaction bringing me back to my senses. I watched as the Hufflepuff boy let out a blood-curdling scream collapsing onto his side, my surroundings becoming even more blurred as the tears pooled. The room went silent apart from the whimpers bouncing off the walls. I lowered my wand, staring at my shaking hands, my tears dripping down onto the walkway. Students and professors alike stared at me, and their eyes reminded me of the Death Eaters that tortured me as a girl. It was a look I thought I had gotten used to, but it hurt more than anything in the world. What have I done?

All my training in this moment felt like a joke, I wasn't even able to fend him off, and in a matter of seconds, he controlled my thoughts, emotions, and actions, and I was powerless to stop it. Lockhart rushed over to the boy but was shoved aside by Snape as he kneeled next to the Hufflepuff, resting a hand on his shoulder.

I stared, frozen on the spot, and only once our eyes met did I realize what this meant. This mistake could not be undone. His eyes were dark, narrowed at me with an intense glare I had yet to see. That single look sent my heart sinking, drowning in the depths of my body. There was no coming back from this. "What's wrong with you?" A voice shouted from the crowd. I wondered the same thing, except I knew the answer. I looked at the student who had called me out; my eyes blurring as I met the eyes of everyone in the room. I couldn't stand to be in this room. I couldn't stand to be here anymore. I had forgotten how much I hated this feeling, how much I wanted it to go away.

I was tired of causing problems, hurting people. I was tired of all this pain, all the guilt, all the anger. I was a useless little girl. I thought perhaps I could serve some great purpose, and follow my heart till the end, but right now, my heart was lost, and I was just tired. It was all just a childish fantasy of wanting to be the hero, wishing to be beloved, and help others, but that's just not what Slytherins were meant to do. No matter how hard I try, I never get anywhere, and if that's the case, then what is the point?

Staying at Hogwarts was no longer an option. Deep down, I knew this would have happened eventually. My fight or flight instincts kicked in and mumbling an apology I fled to my common room. To some extent, I was happy it happened to be sooner than later. Taking a deep breath, I stepped in, making my way towards my room. Nothing would stop me now. My decision was made. I opened the door, ignoring my roommate sitting on her bed, doing her nails. I didn't have a second to waste, and with a wave of my hand, my belongings began packing themselves.

I changed into normal muggle clothing, shrinking my luggage to slip inside the pocket of my hoodie. "Where are you-" her voice grew still, and I sensed a familiar presence blocking the doorway.

"No, not this time Albus. Nothing you say will make me change my mind, so please just-" The old man rested a hand on my shoulder, his frame looming over mine. He withdrew a folded piece of parchment from his robes, gently placing it in my hands. He didn't say anything, but his saddened smile warned me that I should depart soon before Severus had anything to say about the matter. "I'm sorry for everything."

I stormed out of the castle, hands shoved in my hoodie, my head pounding from all the conflict in my heart. I had nowhere to go, but Hogwarts no longer felt like home. Once outside the protective boundaries of the castle, I took out the folded piece of parchment and opened it up. Inside resided absolutely nothing, it was blank, and if this was a prank, I was not amused. I couldn't find it in me to apparate away, my thoughts drifted to Severus, I hoped this wasn't the end, but this was a brutal reminder that nothing lasts. Perhaps he really did love me, or perhaps I was just a distraction to forget the painful memories of his past, but either way, I didn't regret it.

I turned away, knowing that if I kept looking back, I would only break. I apparated to the one place I knew well from my muggle days. The sun had already set, and I was thankful the halls were empty. I leaned back against the lockers lined up along the wall, sliding down their length I took a seat on the marble floors taking deep breaths. The lights were off as no one was in the building; it still amazed me how early classes finished here in America. Everything sunk in though, and I broke down, sobbing. Despite everything, being at Hogwarts was the happiest I had ever been. My biggest fear had now come true. I had lost everything I cared about. What now?

I left in a hurry without scrambling a plan together, and well, I didn't have much money on me. My best and worst plan were the same, going after Tom. It was suicidal, but hiding wouldn't do me much good, they would catch me eventually, and I'd rather go down with a fight. My old locker was still in this school. I had sealed it with magic; that way, I could always come back and get what I had left behind. Resting my hand against the cold metal, the locker opened, showing my stash of items, I moved my textbooks to the side, staring at the few relics home to my locker. I took off Salazar's locket and placed it neatly next to the dagger. I shut the locker and reapplied the seal.

"Miss Logan, what are you doing here?" A deep voice asked. I looked up partially startled by the familiar voice and stared at the older man before me. I thought the school would be empty at this time, but I guess some teachers really did consider schools their second home. I was more surprised that the man remembered me. He hadn't seen me in about five years. I stared awkwardly, unsure of how to answer. What the hell I was doing here at night? There was no right answer.

"Ah, Mr. S," I mumbled picking off my pathetic excuse of a self off the floor, looking the man in the eyes. "I honestly didn't think anyone would be here."

"Breaking and entering is a crime," he scolded, but that didn't help the amusement from creeping into his eyes.

"To be fair, I didn't break anything, as for the entering part...I guess you caught me." My voice broke, and having already been discovered, I felt vulnerable, and the tears spilled over. I didn't want to be alone again. This was awkward.

"Are you alright?" He asked. Now I was feeling all wishy-washy and shook my head holding back the tears.

"No. I'm having troubles...at home," I lied.

"That does not excuse your behavior."

"I know. I'm sorry... I'm sorry." He escorted me out of the school, and I sighed, taking a breath of fresh air.

"Do you have your phone on you?" I shook my head. "Need me to call anyone?" I gazed out into the parking lot and shook my head again.

"There's no one." Noticing there wasn't a single car in the parking lot, it hit me. How convenient for him to be here, the parking lot was empty, the lights were out, and he wasn't wearing his tag. I took a few steps back and took out my wand, aiming it at the man. "Who are you?"

I heard a deep rumble, but not from Mr. Smith. Instead, a masked man stepped out from the shadows chuckling darkly. "You caught on quickly, I must say, but he is a simple muggle." The Death Eater smiled. My old teacher stepped out in front of me protectively, and then I realized my mistake, Tom knew my every move, he didn't have to infiltrate my mind to be ahead of the game.

"Show yourself," I demanded. The man removed his mask, revealing the face of a Death Eater I had never met.

"Alright, you bastard, you have three seconds to leave, or I'm calling the police." The Death Eater drew his wand as my teacher reached into his pocket. I pushed Mr, Smith aside, blocking the spell with ease and tilted my head to the side.

"And what is it that you want?" I asked.

"Must you really ask such a foolish question? You are defenseless, the Dark Lord knows where you are, and where you will go, running will serve no purpose, and no matter where you run, we will always find you."

"Or I could kill you, and be on my way."

"And jeopardize the life of an innocent man?" I glanced at Smith and assuming it was a distraction I deflected the Death Eater's spell into the ground, the blast causing the concrete to combust. "Miss Slytherin I have faith in your abilities to kill me, but I have faith in my abilities to take someone down with me in the process," he smiled back, a mix between threatening and kind, I was not used to it, even if he was a Death Eater. A presence loomed behind me, and I dodge in time as a big fellow tried to wrap his arms around me, I drove my knee into his gut and shot him away with a spell. Half a dozen Death Eaters emerged from the shadows, and before I could cast a spell, I was disarmed. I stumbled to the ground as I was hit with another spell and groaned, watching as they took my old physics teacher hostage. "Don't kill her, you idiot."

"Don't harm him, he hasn't done anything," I rasped holding my stomach.

"Music to my ears," the Death Eater laughed. "Precisely the answer I was looking for." He offered me his hand, and I slapped it away, helping myself up. "Do not get the wrong idea, if I wanted you dead, you would be, but that honor is reserved for the Dark Lord, and he does not like when his toys broken ." With that said, a flash of green was shot out to the Death Eater who had harmed me, and I held my breath. It always bothered me when they executed their own without a second thought.

"Hooray," I chanted sarcastically.

"As long as you cooperate, this man's life will not be harmed." I nodded and watched as Mr. Smith fought against the Death Eaters until they made him experience the pain of a forbidden curse. After that, he stopped resisting and let the Death Eaters restrain him. A win-win for them or else I would beat the shit out of them with their own bloody limbs.

"You hooligans won't get away with this!"

"Mr. Smith, for your own good, I recommend you just stay quiet." We were forced along on an apparition, we landed beside the Slytherin manor, and all glanced back at the muggle who was ready to puke out his guts, and indeed he did. The Death Eaters let me go as I wandered around the ruins that used to be my home. I fell to my knees, brushing the ashes away, but there was nothing left—just ruins of what once was my home.

"Pleasant memories, no?" they taunted. I remained silent, clenching my fist. I tried to remember what Severus had taught me, but all I could see was his glare, cold and menacing, and instead of controlling my emotions, I was flooded by them. It all felt so overwhelming. Everyone pays for their mistakes, but it looked like my time was up. My wandering mind did not last as I was knocked out, my vision turning black. I still had so many regrets.


	22. XXII - Torture

My head throbbed, a discomfortable feeling that I was getting used to lately. Although, I suppose that was a good thing, or maybe not, I wasn't sure. There was too much uncertainty in my mind. The bedsheets were warm and comfortable, but I remembered vividly what had happened the night prior, and my heart would not stop skipping. Fear, this was definitely fear. Light filtered through the open curtains to the left of the room. The room itself was unfamiliar, and my heart sunk, breath catching as air refused to enter my lungs.

I was no longer wearing my clothes, but a short black dress with a belt around the waistline, embed with a skull that looked a lot like the Death Mark. I groaned in frustration until it turned into a silent sigh and threw my legs over the edge of the bed, sitting up. A dull room covered in gloomy tones, charming as always. The second I got up, I felt a breeze against my legs and looked down. The dress reached midway down my thighs, and I frowned, well they sure let themselves in, and now I felt violated. At least that part was expected.

A house-elf stood near the edge of the bed, her head peeking above the footboard. I jumped at the sight, reaching for my heart, and eyed the creature warily. I couldn't catch a break. How long had she been there? She offered no sign of life as she stared at me, her body still as a rock until I frowned, offering a small wave. "The master wishes to see you," the elf finally said stalking to my side of the bed, tugging at my arms for me to follow. She fixed my hair, taming my curls with a wave of her hand while my hands roamed down the sides of my body, and I shuddered.

"Where am I?" I asked as softly as I could but received no answer. She seemed uncomfortable with my questions and ushered me out the door, leading me down the grand staircase. I was barefoot, and the tiles were absolutely freezing, it was taking all my willpower not to hop from foot to foot. However, my reasoning quickly changed as I was met with scores of Death Eaters. I glanced down at my dress and fought back my anger; this was embarrassing. The dress was low cut revealing more than I would like, I might as well not bother wearing a top piece. This was a whole new kind of humiliation, my eyes unable to meet those of the Death Eaters ogling me like caviar at an elegant soiree. The image was too disturbing to envision.

I slipped on my poker face as I reached the bottom of the stairs, coming face to face with the Dark Lord himself. Or at least, what he had become, I still couldn't stand the sight of his face, he was inhumane. No nose, no hair. He was just the face of a man that I couldn't recognize anymore. When I was growing up, Tom had always seemed a bit odd to me, and Horcrux by Horcrux, he changed, but now it was drastic. "I've brought her, my lord," the elf said meekly, her hands clutching onto my dress, wrinkling it. She too was afraid. I wanted to take hold of her hand and squeeze it, to reassure her, but I wasn't sure where today would lead. Perhaps somewhere in the ground about six feet deep.

Tom waved his hand as a gesture to get this show on the road, and one of his many Death Eaters stepped out from against the wall, marching in my direction. He was a big guy, and I visibly flinched as he raised his hand, but didn't hit me. I heard a small whimper to my side, and the elf immediately let go of my dress. I watched helplessly as she was beaten and dragged out of the room.

"Please, please, sit," Tom motioned. "Let this not ruin our breakfast." A Death Eater pulled out a chair from the foot of the table and patted the back of it. I was wary but took a seat anyway, my gaze lingering on the man curled up and tied atop a silver platter surrounded by food, an apple in his mouth. Mr. Smith, the poor man had nothing to do with this...why does this always happen? Why do I always involve those who haven't done any wrong? Smith stared at me long and hard, and I felt a pang of guilt, a feeling that was also becoming too familiar as of late. "How long has it been since we had breakfast together?"

My eyes shot up to the owner of the voice, my eyes trailing from Tom to Smith, unsure who deserved my attention. I stared at the plate set before me, the food looked appetizing, but the circumstances had drained me of my appetite. Everything felt so bleak. I didn't want to be here anymore; I just wanted to close my eyes and never open them again. A Death Eater grabbed my hair by its root, tugging harshly as he spoke, "The Dark Lord asked you a question, answer!"

"Nine years," I spat out firmly, patting my hair down as the Death Eater let go.

"Nine whole years...so it has been," Tom sighed, tapping his fork against his empty plate. I kept my hands on my lap, my nails digging into my thighs as I discreetly scouted the lay of the room, looking for possible escapes, but with so many Death Eaters, it seemed impossible. They had taken my wand anyway, so any hope of going out guns blazing was out of the picture. I really was screwed this time. I guess it's for the better. It wasn't my place to be a hero anyway, that job should be left to the adults. I do wish I could have seen Severus one last time. I just wanted to see him smile.

"I used to be very fond of you, you know?" The lot of them began snickering, and I controlled my temper, clutching at the hem of my dress. "I must say I am quite disappointed, the hours I spent educating and training you, and in the end, you turned out to be a...failure." He relaxed in his chair, looking frightfully calm for someone that held so much anger and hatred inside, it scared me. "Your bad behavior must've rubbed off on Severus...shame. He was my most loyal mutt-"

"He is not a mutt!" I shouted rising from my seat, my palms slamming against the wood. The same Death Eater from before reached for me, but Tom shook his head, motioning the man to go back to his post, and I glared at him. "All of you are the same, always assuming what others want, who and what they are, but in reality, you know nothing, but just pretend because you believe the world has been served to you on a silver platter."

"Ah, yes," he smiled. "You have very fond memories." I thinned my lips, heat creeping up my cheeks, embarrassment or anger, at this point, it was the same difference. "To be frank, I never thought him...adequate, but your screams have proven me wrong." Hearing their sick waves of laughter only made my temper slip even further, and I seethed trying my best to stay in control. "A traitor, just like your father, and a treasonous snake, you two make quite a pair."

"Do not speak of betrayal, you two-faced scumbag. You betrayed my father long before any of this came to light, or perhaps you forgot...you tend to do that a lot when it happens to be convenient for you."

"Your father was a coward, unable to see the line of reason which I so tenderly laid out before him."

"Ha! By threatening the only woman he had ever known and loved? Yes, how courageous of you, we are so humbled by your presence," I scoffed, shaking my head at him. "You're delusional, you know that?"

"Love. Such a fickle thing," Tom chuckled darkly glancing towards me. "And where has love led you? Back to me, it seems, where you will meet your untimely demise, just as was always intended, my dear. Where is this so-called love you speak of? Severus isn't here. Your father is not here. Dumbledore is not here. There is no one here for you. You are alone. You were always alone, just too blind to see it, and in the end, here you are. And death awaits you...alone. If only you had seen our love for what it was..."

He was deflecting.

"That was not love, that was an obsession. I suggest you figure out the difference, and quickly because I would never love a man like you."

"But you chose Severus?" He mocked motioning for his Death Eaters to laugh.

"Severus is a better man than you could ever hope to become. For someone who claims to be superior, you sure are clueless. Severus never was and will never be yours."

"Silence," he roared rising from his chair as it toppled over, sending a curse in my direction. I did not have my wand on me, and so I clenched my teeth falling back into my seat as the pain set in, my body burning from the internal pain. If I didn't know any better, I would have assumed Tom to have some sort of crush on Severus. My nails dug into the wood of my chair as the pain began to subside. Mr. Smith's eyes were fixated on me, and he looked worried, and all I could think about was the fate that awaited him.

It came rushing back to me, that night Sev visited me before the world fell to chaos, the wine glass. I couldn't let that happen to Smith. He didn't deserve a death like that. He deserved a normal boring human death, buried under homework from spoiled and lazy teens. It was hopeful thinking though, how was I supposed to help him, when I couldn't even help myself?

"Oh pardon my bad table manners," Tom cleared his throat. "Eat, eat, nutrition is important, after all." Fucking psychopaths. I glanced down at my food and picked up my fork. I couldn't go against his wishes, were I to misbehave, Mr. Smith would see an early grave. I had to stall, and I'll figure the rest out as it comes. I sucked in a breath and poked at my food. There was so much of it, and I'm not sure I could even eat all of it. Still, I had to try.

Upon taking a bite, however, I realized that my torture session had begun. I was hit with the Cruciatus curse. I held myself together, tears stinging my eyes as I felt my gut reel over, but I kept the contents down my throat, waiting for the wave of pain to dissipate. I had to make the most of every bite. I didn't want to take another bite knowing what would await, but Tom urged me to do so, or he motioned to Smith and lazily waved his wand, but the apple muffled his screams. I nodded my head, shoveling as much food as I could on this tiny ass fork, and held my breath as I chewed and swallowed.

Everything blurred as I arrived at the final mouthful of food, and I scarfed it down, closing my eyes, but the pain never came. I looked up at Tom with a tear-stained face, and he smiled, a satisfied smile as though he had won, and in reality, he definitely had won. If I could ever eat food again after this, it would be a miracle. I never, in my entire life thought I would hate food. But here we are, not a proud place to be.

"I remember you enjoyed playing the piano, no?" That tone of his pissed me off more than anything. He got up from his seat, making his way to the foot of the table as he helped me up from my chair. I could hardly take a step before I collapsed, those unforgivable curses had sapped me of my strength, but Tom did not seem alarmed. "Shame," he whispered.

One Death Eater walked up to me, and without any warning, he kicked my side. I groaned, but the pain was a lot more tolerable than the Cruciatus curse. I knew what game we were playing, and this torture would go on until I could get back up on my feet. Part of me wanted to give up, part of me wanted to close my eyes and forget this all happened, but my more logical side knew that the Dark Lord would not let that happen so easily. The day had only just begun.

That being said, mustering up the physical strength to get back on my feet proved impossible. Every time I managed to prop myself up, I would be kicked again and forced back against the cold tiles. I closed my eyes, letting the pain sink in, the voices of countless Death Eaters taunting me. Their voices echoing endlessly and feeding my self-doubt, a feeling I could no longer stand. "Worthless," I heard a Death Eater sneer, and I finally lost it. I didn't have a wand, but my wandless magic was decent enough. In a fit of rage, I blasted the Death Eater across the room, finally helping myself onto my feet.

Tom clapped slowly, and circled me a few times, he grabbed my arm and tugged me forward, tossing me to one of his Death Eaters. A cane hit the back of my knees, and my legs gave out as I collapsed onto my knees. I didn't know what was coming, but when Tom kneeled beside me with his wand tracing my flesh, I had a terrible feeling. Three Death Eaters had me pinned down to the tiles, and Tom loomed over my form, his fingers tracing along the length of my arm. The tip of his wand pressed into my forearm, and I watched as he drew the letter S, the mark searing into my flesh in an instant.

The pain was too much to bear, and I screamed kicking my legs in protest, it felt like someone was carving out my skin with a dagger, but when I looked over at the pool of blood forming as more letter were seared into my skin, I cried wishing he would end it quickly. But he took his time with each letter, and my pride would not allow me to beg aloud. By the end of it, I was panting and sobbing, unable to look at the bloody carvings on my arm spelling out the name of the man I loved.

I was helped to my feet this time, my hands trembling as pain coursed through my body. I was led out of the room, my gaze falling on Smith who bit down harder on the apple between his teeth, but it would not budge. He looked like someone had pissed in his swimming pool. That slight joke was the only comfort I could find with my current state of mind. Nagini slithered behind us, and the silver lining was that Mr. Smith had not yet been harmed, and so I had to deal with whatever came my way.

I took a seat on the piano bench, the Death Eaters finally letting go of me. I tensed as Tom loomed behind me, his hand resting on my shoulder. He leaned against me, his other hand flipping the page to his preferred music sheet. I glanced back at Tom, his hand motioning for me to begin, and I took a deep breath, holding it in. "Well go on, play for us." His nails dug into my shoulders, and I flinched, my finger reflexively hitting the first key. I continued to play, the dreamy melody unfitting for the despair I felt deep down in my soul.

The Dark Lord hummed along, gently rocking his weight, shifting from one shoulder to the other. This motion caused my hand to slip, accidentally hitting the wrong key, and I winced, my fingers coming to a still. It was then that I learned that mistakes were punishable; I was hit with the Cruciatus curse. I forced myself to keep playing through the pain, even if my notes were a little slow it was better than taking unforgivable curse after unforgivable curse. If I stopped, the pain would never end, or perhaps it would.

I was fortunate Death Eaters were the ones casting the spell and not Tom himself, or else I would have collapsed by now, but he probably knew that. Droplets of water began hitting the piano keys, and I realized I was crying. I spent the hour biting my lower lips to the point where I dug too deep, and small pools of blood emerged. My resolve was stronger than Tom had expected, and after pulling myself together, making an error was rare, which he grew bored of until he patted my shoulder, an indicator to stop.

It was then that the Dark Lord in all his might finally cast the torture curse on me, and the pain was unreal. I let out a blood-curdling scream as I collapsed onto the floor, my body involuntarily twitching. "Nagini, come. You must be hungry." Despite my body's readiness to give up, the image of Smith being mangled was not appealing, and I grabbed Tom's foot, groaning in pain, and shaking my head.

"Don't...hurt him," I whispered, my eyes pleading with his as tears rolled down my cheeks. "Please." The sound of me begging brought a smile to his lips, and he put a finger to his chin. The moment his attention turned to his Death Eaters, I let go, knowing I had already lost.

"Should we wait for dessert?" He spoke aloud, and his Death Eaters shook their heads. "Hmm, unfortunate," he spoke quietly, his eyes peering down at me. I lowered my head to the floor, feeling my tears pooling beneath me. Why did this always happen? A Death Eater forced me up onto my knees, fisting my hair into a messy bun as he held me in place.

"Please!" I cried out. "Please…" I might as well have been talking to a brick wall, and when Mr. Smith was dragged into the room, my heart dropped. I glared at Tom, and he smiled, cupping my cheek and placing a soft kiss on my forehead. On impulse, I slapped him, and the room fell silent. My heart missed a beat, and I had to admit it wasn't my best decision of the day. He raised his hand, and I flinched, quickly tilting my head to the side, hoping to lessen the impact.

He never hit me, though. "Restrain her," he seethed, cracking his jaw, meanwhile his gaze landed on Smith, and a wicked smile formed on his lips. Not only had I sabotaged myself as my hands were tied behind my back, but I didn't want to imagine what the Dark Lord had in mind for the poor muggle in the room. I was forced to watch as every Death Eater in the room threw a Cruciatus curse his way. I closed my eyes, hearing his screams echo back and forth between the walls, but I wasn't ready for what came next.

A Death Eater kneeled beside him, dull knife in hand as he traced Smith's skin, planning out his next cuts. They skinned him alive, and those screams...they would haunt me until my death, but that wouldn't be too far off.

His body was laid out before me, body twitching, and blood pooling. "We weren't even finished yet. Muggles," Tom scoffed throwing the blade on the tiles. It skated against the floor before it reached my knees and I think I was going to vomit. He had died of shock and blood loss before the worse of it could be done to him. I had never seen a person in so much pain before, this was...I couldn't put it into words.

A scream escaped my lips as Tom threw me the skin of his face, and I cried out, struggling against the Death Eater grasping at my hair. My brows furrowed and he cackled, but I found all of this very far from amusing. I broke out sobbing, and the Death Eater let go of me, and I collapsed on the floor. In my self-loathing and misery, I thought about Severus, the birthday card I had been planning to slip into his desk the day before, back when everything was...normal.

I just wanted to celebrate his birthday, just the two of us, but nothing ever went my way. "Sev," I mumbled.

"Oh, no, no, no. It's too early for that, Rynne," Tom spoke. "This is just the beginning. To all the people you hold dear, this will be their faith." He invaded my mind with ease, my willpower utterly shattered. My body was already weak from the endless hours of pain. I tried resisting, but part of me had already given up. He spent countless hours torturing me with fabricated memories, knowing exactly what my weak point was. Severus. I had forgotten this feeling; the last time I felt it was the night of the third task.

He took joy in watching me writhe in pain, screaming for him to stop. I couldn't stop the pain, the emotional pain, it was eating away at me. The cold tiles kept me somewhat sane, reminding me that this was all in my mind, and I was still here and alive. Death Eaters stood around, watching with satisfaction as my sanity slowly slipped out of my grasp. "Let go," Tom whispered in my ear, his lips brushing my earlobe. His attempt to make me surrender only filled me with determination to resist.

"Earn it," I spat, my wrists parting from each other, fighting with the restraints. The temptation, however, was always there. But if I went out, I would at least be a thorn in his side. I held on despite the difference in our mental capabilities. His anger drove him towards one focus, to torture me, but he never dug deeper, he knew none of my secrets, and for that I was thankful.

I reminded myself of what Severus always told me during these dire times, even though the most unpleasant images cycled through my head, it would never change my conception of Severus. It was distasteful having to watch the man you loved torture, rape, and kill you over and over again. I had always feared being tortured, feared to look at my own blood pooling while my life was slowly sucked away. Now, though, I wasn't sure what was worse.

I burst into tears, unable to take much more. My head was pounding partially due to the gallons of tears my eyes had spewed out today. Tom hummed a soft lullaby while my worst fears consumed me, drowning in despair, all hopes and dreams vanishing away into thin air. All they left in their wake, was the pain and the loneliness, the doubt and hatred, and of course, the guilt. "Sev," I mumbled, closing my eyes. The windows of the manor burst into fragments of glass as they clattered to the floor, black smoke emerging into the room. The Death Eaters began firing, Nagini hissing from behind Tom's leg.

Before me stood Severus, my eyes trailing from his boots to his face, he looked royally pissed. As per usual, his robes billowed behind him, that dark and menacing look that could send a man to his grave. More than ever, I could not tell whether or not this was real, order members came crashing through the remainder of the windows, surrounding the Death Eaters. The prospect of Severus coming to my rescue seemed surreal to me. Tom was just messing with me, raising my hopes so he could crush them...again. I wouldn't let myself fall for such a stupid trick.

Tom wrapped an arm around my waist, forcing me to sit up straight, the back of my head resting on his shoulder. I was getting tired of playing this little game of his. "So fragile. Poor thing might have lost her mind," he chuckled, pulling my hair back. "It is bad manners not to welcome our guest, Rynne." He played with a lock of my hair, and I whimpered when he licked my cheek. "Such hopeful creatures," he sighed. The throbbing sensation in the back of my head disappeared, and I was shoved to the floor, my cheek once more pressed to the tiles. I was met with a cool breeze, and I stared at the broken windows lining the room.

This was real…

He came for me? And he called me an idiot. Tom let go of my hair, shouting at the top of his lungs, and I groaned, my head feeling as though it might explode. A fight erupted between the two factions and Severus relentlessly shot out a barrage of spells at the demented asshole standing over me. I rolled over, wiggling into position as I bit Tom's leg. In retaliation, he kicked me, but Severus landed a good blow, sending him hurtling across the room. More than half of his Death Eaters had been killed already, and Nagini slithered to his side before they apparated away.

I felt a presence loom over me and gazed up at the infamous Potions Master. He knelt down, helping me sit up, and he pressed me into him, undoing the restraints on my wrists. He looked at my outfit with reserved contempt and threw his robes over my small frame, but his eyes landed on my arm, and he let out a controlled breath, staring at the word that had been carved into my flesh. "I'm sorry," I whispered. He pressed his forehead to mine and wrapped his arms around my body before burying his head in the crook of my neck.

I hugged back, my arms loosely wrapped around his neck. "You have nothing to be sorry for," he said softly trying his best to wipe away my tears, but I shook my head.

"I never meant to harm that boy, and Mr. Smith...he had nothing to do with this." I couldn't stop the aching pain inside, and I hated when he looked at me with that concerned expression of his. I cried on his shoulder, and by now, everyone had seen the poor muggle that had been flayed alive. "I couldn't stop him."

"I know you feel differently, but those two are the least of concerns," he drawled running a hand through my hair. "Thank you for the birthday card." I chuckled bitterly and pinched his side. At the sound of someone clearing their throat, we looked over, Sirius eyeing Snape with mild disgust, but before he could say anything, Tonks cut him off.

"The Death Eaters are fleeing, and I believe this belongs to you, Rynne." She held my wand out to me, and I grabbed it, nodding my thanks squeezing her hand as I took my wand back.

Severus let out a frustrated sigh as he stood, helping me on my feet. I held onto his arm for dear life, fearing the weight of my body would collapse on me, but Severus had a tight hold around my waist. I paused for a moment as I counted all the order members and Aurors that had come to my rescue, including...Albus. The blank piece of parchment. I hate this world. Sometimes I couldn't tell if Albus was good or just pure evil.

"I'm tired," I mumbled.

"Albus will take you back-"

"What about you?" He gave me a sardonic smile tilting his head, his knuckles turning paler by the second as his fingers clutched his wand. "Right—I don't think Hogwarts is the best option…"

"You won't be going back as a student, but perhaps you'd like to stay with Black?" We both glanced at the disheveled man as he scratched his ass, and I shrugged.

"But-"

"No."

"But!"

"Do not argue with me on this," he bit back his annoyance, his voice straining to remain soft as he motioned Albus over.

"Shall we?" Albus smiled softly extending his arm out to me. I pouted, glancing back at Severus, but he was already out the window, chasing after the deserting Death Eaters with his unsupported flight.

"If we must." I wasn't thrilled about going back, but I didn't have much of a choice. With a snap of his fingers, a bandage wrapped itself around my arm, hiding the name that had been engraved in my flesh.

"I never wanted it to come to this, but I hope you understand."

"It's not your fault, Albus. I have a hard time dealing with certain situations, I know I'm stubborn, and I make bad decisions. In truth, this felt like a pathetic suicide letter."

"Despair will cripple you until you are nothing but a shell, but that is why we look to the light for hope, help will always be given to those who ask," he smiled.

"I don't like asking for help. I'm already a burden—make that an even bigger burden." I took hold of the headmaster's arm, and he glanced down at me with an expression unknown to me.

"One who wishes to help others is not a burden. There are those who would die for those they hold dear. I'm sure you are aware of that," his tone was solemn, and I was not used to this Albus. "Severus cares for you deeply, and storming this manor; he would have done so with or without my help." With that, we apparated, and I felt my gut tighten, I was not prepared. I was expecting us to apparate to his office or somewhere more isolated, but no. We were in the dead center of the courtyard, and I stiffened. Aurors stood waiting, and I caught sight of my father, his pacing coming to a halt as his eyes landed on me.

He rushed to my side, Albus letting go of me and stepping aside as he engulfed me in a tight embrace. "My daughter," he exhaled, he sounded so relieved, and I wrapped my arms around his torso, resting my head on his chest. He sighed, lifting me off my feet and I winced.

"Dad!" He put me down immediately and apologized profusely.

"What have they done to you?" he asked rhetorically, his voice low, and his thumb brushing over the bruises on my face.

"I just saw a man get skinned alive, Dad. Physically speaking, I think I'm pretty alright," I whispered.

"You what!" It took a lot of convincing on my part, but my father eventually let go of me after Kingsley informed him of the current developments, and on that note, my father had to part with me. However, he still wouldn't stop fretting over me, and I was thankful when Kingsley peeled him off, offering to take me back into the castle. I noticed students staring, and I felt awkward. At that moment, Severus apparated beside Albus looking rather content with himself, but that was quickly changed as my father punched him. Kingsley and I stared, my jaw dropping a few centimeters.

It was as if the world had frozen over, and I held my breath. Severus straightened his head, but he looked surprisingly calm, for a man who had just been socked out of nowhere. My father shared heated words with the Potions Master, and Kingsley gently tugged me, guiding me into the castle.

"Can I ask you a question?" I squeezed his arm and pulled him closer, noticing two Aurors had followed us into the castle, escorting us.

"There is no reason for you to stay hidden any longer, we hoped to resolve the issue before it got out of hand, but it already seems like we were too late. If the Dark Lord is to be stopped, it will not be from the shadows. Your father holds a great amount of influence in the Wizarding world, pureblooded families are respected, and one as ancient as yours, he had strings to pull and pulled them he did. War has already begun, Rynne. You are Rynne Salazar Slytherin, wield that name with pride, and let no one tell you otherwise, but don't let it get to your head." I heard a hint of amusement at the end, and I giggled giving the man a side hug.

"I never asked my question, but you answered it anyway." As promised, I was led to Severus' quarters, and I let myself in waving at Kingsley. Once the door shut behind me, I sighed collapsing on the floor. None of this made sense. Well, it made a bit of sense, but I couldn't wrap my head around things. I was still processing what had happened earlier today. Smith. I crawled to the bathroom and emptied my guts in the toilet, hugging the bowl, hoping for some sort of comfort.

I took a quick shower to wash away the blood and immediately sunk into Sev's bed. Now that I was alone, I hugged the pillow feeling strangely empty; I didn't think I could produce any more tears today, but I proved myself wrong. The weight of the bed shifted, and I sat up, relieved that it was just Sev, my heart had a small panic attack. "You scared me…"

"Please don't cry," he whispered. I wiped away my tears and stared at the bruise forming on his cheek. I got on my knees and crawled to his side, brushing his cheek.

"I'm sorry my father punched you."

"I...deserved it," Severus mumbled. He looked ashamed if anything else. I pressed my lips to his, pushing him down against the bed. "You're crying aga-." I shut him up, and finally, I pulled away, intertwining my fingers with his.

"Happy birthday." I laid next to him, our intertwined hands resting on his chest, his arm wrapping around my waist. I closed my eyes, resting my head on his shoulder. "I love you." I couldn't remember when I had fallen asleep, but I awoke some time later, my head finally feeling at peace. Severus slept soundly beside me, an arm loosely wrapped around my waist. I was still exhausted, but I wanted some fresh air. Closing my eyes, sentenced me to the same fate, all the bad memories playing over and over again. I slipped out of bed, grabbing a pair of Sev's robes as I tossed them over my shoulders. I wandered the halls at night, and unlike the usual darkness that consumed the halls, they were dimly lit, Aurors walking about, and it felt odd.

The candles in the great hall were still lit, and I poked my head in, finding the room empty. An Auror greeted me as they passed by the double doors, and I smiled back, letting myself in. I sat at one of the four tables, a plate of food appearing before me, and I frowned looking around but seeing no one. I poked at my food, not really feeling much of an appetite, and sighed resting my head against the table as I pushed the plate aside.

Severus took a seat beside me, and I took a peek at him. "You should have woken me," he said, his back to the tables as he crossed his legs. For once, he wasn't wearing his robes, and I glanced at the candles.

"What time is it?"

"Early morning," he informed.

"I don't want to go back to sleep."

"I should have been there. It was my job to protect you. I failed you...and your father."

"Well, no one is perfect," I said honestly.

"I could have lost you. You could have died...or worse." His hand cupped my cheek, and he pressed his forehead to mine.

"I think my pessimism is starting to rub off on you," I smiled, kissing his cheek. He tilted my chin upwards and captured my lips. The flash of a camera caught us off guard, and Severus looked up, glaring at the infamous photographer. Rita Skeeter, of fucking course. She pressed a hand to her oval-shaped lips, and Sev stood up abruptly from the table, she took another picture before high-tailing it out of the great hall. I grabbed his hand, giving a reassuring squeeze, and he calmed down, taking his seat back on the bench. He embraced me, resting his chin on my head, his arms warm and comforting.

"For as long as I have known you, would it bloody kill you to not make light of a situation."

"It's my way of dealing with complicated things!"

"Are you calling me complicated?"

"Incredibly." He pinned me down with a look, and I fluttered my eyelashes innocently. Rising from his seat, he heaved out a long sigh and extended his hand out to me.

"Let's just go back to bed."


	23. XXIII - Black Valentine

The days passed in a haze, my motivation to be productive ever so slowly dwindling. Severus' workload never got lighter, but he always made time for me, whether it was getting me a cup of tea, or merely holding my hand to intimidate the dark thoughts that lingered. He was hesitant to leave my side, and at first glance, I thought he was overreacting, but spending a day all by myself proved quite daunting. The familiar pang of loneliness and depression only served to fuel my anxiety, and it grew worse with every passing minute.

I hadn't seen a soul other than Severus in what seemed like ages, part of me afraid of what others would say, how they would look at me. The thoughts sent my heart racing. I focused on my breathing, in, hold, and out. Lately, my fingers found themselves wrestling one another for attention, the thoughts of companionship drowning any sense of self I had. Unfortunately for me, Lockhart had loose lips, and the whole castle knew everything there was to know about Rynne Salazar Slytherin.

I was tired of lies, secrets, and rumors, it all made my head ache, and I could no longer stand the uncertainty, and existential crisis that came flooding through the gates. My discovery had sparked a controversial topic of discussion; the Dark Lord. The Daily Prophet only reported on Death Eater raids, escapees, massacres, and other dark affairs, but never on the man pulling the strings. Only one name came to mind, Rita Skeeter. I never understood people like her, people who took joy in ruining the lives of others, no scratch that, the woman had made a career of it. Just picturing her face, flushed my cheeks with rage.

I remained seated on Sev's bed, legs crossed underneath my form as I stared blankly at the wall, hands intertwined while my mind raced, anxiety pulsing not too far behind. I was lost in thought, my mind unable to register as the bed dipped, and looking over my shoulder, my terror-stricken face softened. "Sev," I spoke out in a hushed tone. The breath I had been holding, released itself, and I blinked a few times. "Sorry, it's going to take me a while." He didn't mind. His knuckles brushed my cheek, eyes holding a tenderness that made me wonder if this man was Severus.

My mind always found a way to imagine the worst possible scenarios, and I did not have the power to leave his quarters, I was afraid. The past few weeks, I felt invincible, ready to take on the world, but now my throne had crumbled, and I was left to gather the pieces. Everyone was acutely aware that me isolating myself was not healthy, but I didn't care. "You need to stop worrying about what others will say, their opinion doesn't matter." If he had been anyone else, I would have called him out, but this was Severus Snape, the slimy bat of the dungeons. If anyone had a right to talk about such a sensitive topic, it was him.

"I don't want to deal with others right now," I whined, pulling the covers up to my chin, retreating to cocoon myself.

"You are being childish!" Severus sneered, and I felt his hands tugging at the covers, unsuccessfully prying them away from me. "Rynne," he snapped.

"No."

"You're making excuses."

"And I have the right to!" My grip on the covers tightened as Severus heaved out a frustrated sigh. There was a limit to his patience, and I was bordering on the edge of that line.

"That-! You're depressed. You're hardly eating, and you've spent the entire week cooped up in my quarters, brooding endlessly. I know better than anyone the pain you're going through right now, but you need to snap out of it before it develops into a bigger problem, because I won't be able to help you after that." I pinned Severus down with a look, eyes narrowing on his furrowed brows. It was worry, a pure unbridled concern that drove him to pull out the soapbox. He let out a defeated sigh, running a hand down his face, pinching the bridge of his nose. "At least come to dinner, you haven't eaten in two days, and tea does not count as food."

"I'm not hungry-" the words had already escaped my lips, and I scowled. The realization all too sudden as I managed to throw more fuel on the fire. Did I really just back up his argument? Fact is I was not hungry, and even ice cream would not save the day.

"Please..." Severus does not beg. And at those words, my resolve shattered, the tone in his voice inescapable, and I forced a weak nod, a lump growing in my throat. His hand settled on my knee, and giving a reassuring squeeze, he motioned for me to go freshen up. My hair was an unruly mess, and I smiled gently, making my way to the bathroom. In the end, everything would be alright, because Severus was here. I took my time under the shower's faucet, knowing I was stalling, but part of me was against leaving his quarters, not that I had much of a say.

I didn't use to have a problem with my body, but being nude made me feel conscious, and afraid, the engraving on my arm distinct against my pale skin. I finally came out, wrapped in a towel, I hated the frown etched on my brows as Severus looked at what Tom did to me, it filled me with despair, and guilt. Unfortunately, nothing could be done, Tom's magic was powerful, and the engraving would remain to scar over time, it was my punishment for my lack of common sense.

I sat on the bed, eyes focused on my forearm while Severus dried my hair, fingers delicately untangling these stubborn curls of mine. I wore a green dress shirt, the sleeves covering my forearms, followed by a pair of black jeans. I still had my Slytherin pride, but Severus and I made quite a pair, he would not reveal the Dark Mark on his arm, and I would not reveal the engraving on mine, in a way it was comforting knowing I wasn't the only one with a secret to hide.

I gazed at myself in the mirror, Severus looming behind me, his hands resting on my shoulder, eyes peering at mine through the reflection. This scene reminded me of when I had first discovered the mirror, the image I saw that night, little did I know how kind and considerate he could be, when not on his bad side. He held my gaze and took hold of my arm, kissing the silky fabric that hid my newfound scars. Even the thought of merely exiting his room gave me anxiety, but his eyes were nothing but reassuring, and deep down, I wanted to believe that everything would be alright.

What would others say? What rumors were circulating? And my relationship...I had wanted to keep it a secret, but now the cat was out of the bag. On the bright side, I looked healthier now, the bruises had healed, for the most part, and my split lip had mended itself. My usual creamy complexion was pale, and I understood why Severus was beginning to worry. I had lost a few pounds, too, and it was starting to show. "Ready?" he asked, snapping me out of my reverie, and that familiar knot found itself lodged in my throat once more.

"No," I squeaked lamely, swallowing the lump in my throat. My weak protest did not stop him, though. I was thankful the corridors were barren except for the wandering Aurors on patrol, it eased my nerves slightly. They all greeted me with a warm smile, some faces familiar to me, but no matter the Auror, when their eyes trailed to the looming spectral following at my heels, they offered a curt nod. I had enough nervous energy to run a dozen laps around the courtyard, but Severus kept a firm grip on my hand, willing me to remain by his side. He did not intend to let go.

As we neared the great hall, chatter, and laughter clashed into my ears, I chickened out instantly and came to a halt tugging on Severus' hand. He didn't budge. "Rynne, you agreed, remember?"

"Not verbally, I didn't." He frowned, looking slightly amused if anything, but the annoyance was still present. I clicked my tongue and tugged again, but this time for him to let go. "You don't have to hold my hand." He didn't say a word and instead ushered me in. All eyes were on us, and my breath caught and then quickened. I did not want to be here. I had expected Severus to let go, but he never did, and now there was no escaping the rumors. In the end, I squeezed the living hell out of his hand, following behind him, my gaze set straight ahead to avoid accidentally glancing at anyone. My instincts told me to run, but it was impossible.

He strolled through the great hall without a care in the world, his eyes impassive, but his hand held mine gently, squeezing ever so slightly in the hopes of reassuring my nerves. Whispers left and right met my ears and gathering so much attention forced me to let out a shaky breath. Just get to the high table, everything will be fine—Severus let go of my hand. I panicked for a moment, my eyes widening at the sudden change, but it didn't register properly as arms wrapped around my figure, enveloping me in a bear hug.

"Good to have you back!" Fred and George beamed, they had a tight hold on me, and my feet left the ground as they squeezed the living shit out of me. "We missed you." A small smile made its way to my lips, and I had forgotten this feeling, friends who gave a shit about how you felt. Friends that were there when you needed them. I wanted to cry and throw myself at them, but Severus already looked irritated by the amount of physical contact, and I decided against the thought.

"I missed you guys too," I whispered, my voice shaky with emotions. I glanced around the room, and instead of scrutinizing glares, I was met with worried glances, and my fears instantly dissipated. All the worst-case scenarios were far from reality, but I couldn't help it, it was in my nature. Severus beckoned for me to follow, and with one last hug, the twins and I parted, my feet falling into step with Sev. Looking up to the high table, I was met with warm smiles, and I let out a sigh of relief. Two chairs remained empty and leading me up the steps of the dais, Severus, and I sitting beside each other.

"See, there was nothing for you to worry about."

"Yes, yes, you're always right," I mocked. Remus met my gaze, along with a dozen more familiar figures, many of them had come to my rescue, and I bit my lip, slightly embarrassed. I was the problem child. The high table had been expanded to accommodate all of them, and as I was checking everyone, my eyes landed on Albus, his lazy smirk immediately making me suspicious. He wasn't the only one, though. "Why is everyone looking at me like that?"

Severus tilted his head to the side, chin propped up on his hand as he peered at me, his eyes, in turn, scanning our surroundings. There was a little smirk lining his lips, and I frowned. "Guess?" he droned out. It took me a few seconds to comprehend what he meant, but then I had a flashback of our last encounter in the great hall. Oh, Merlin, no. "Go on, eat," he murmured under his breath, his eyes challenging me to defy him. I picked up my fork with much hesitation, and my stomach begged me not to, but Severus was shameless as he stared at me, intent that I eat something...anything. My plate was full of light and easily digestible foods, and I appreciated the thought and effort.

I scooped up a small chunk of food on my fork, and brought the utensil to my lips, my hand shook, and I flinched quickly lowering the fork to my plate. I couldn't. I let go of my fork and dropped my hands to my lap, staring at my plate. Severus had been kind enough not to pry about what happened, but it had left a bigger impact than I cared to admit. The hair on the back of my neck stood at attention, almost as if waiting for those unforgivable words to be spoken.

He hummed, and I briefly peeked at him through my lashes, but his face remained impassive as always. I knew this newly found fear of mine was ridiculous, but those letters had not been the only thing seared into me. Despite the warm welcome back, I was not in a mood to socialize, and dinner was spent staring at my food, my heart missing a beat every time I imagined myself taking a single bite.

I made it my personal goal to avoid eye contact, even with Severus, until my father loomed behind my chair, his hands resting on the wooden structure. He didn't say anything. He just ruffled my hair before exiting the great hall, eyes glancing back to Severus, two Aurors at his heels.

Too many unsaid words.

As the great hall began to clear out, Severus had yet to say a word, and I was growing anxious. Was he mad? I jumped slightly when his hand found its way to my thigh, and with a small squeeze, he stood up, indicating for me to follow. So maybe not mad? We left the great hall, the silence persisting, even as we found ourselves in his quarters, and then he disappeared, but not before directing me towards the sofa. I didn't have to be told twice and sat down, propping my legs on the cushions, resting my head on the armrest.

The fire blazed with intensity, and although it was the only source of light in the room, it was warm and comforting. I could only compare it to a mother's embrace after a rough day. My eyes fluttered shut, and I basked in the feeling of calmness enveloping me now that I was alone. Severus reappeared minutes later with a plate of food, and the look of horror on my face apparently amused him. Nothing was amusing about this situation, but he didn't know that. "No," I protested, burrowing into the sofa, hoping it would protect me from what was to come.

With his free arm, he lifted my legs enough to sit down and make himself comfortable, letting my legs fall back down on his lap. That annoying smirk of his made me want to punch him, but I didn't have the energy. I'll eat tomorrow." His smile dropped.

"This is the third time you've said that. I cannot allow this to continue."

I shook my head, and he set the plate aside, his hand cupping my cheek, thumb rubbing gentle circles. "It's just us, Rynne-and I won't hurt you." He placed a kiss to my forehead and picked up the spoon, leading it to my lips. Never in a million years could I have imagined the infamous Severus Snape feeding me, but that day was here as I opened my mouth slightly. He was quick as he slipped the spoon in, and I pouted, taking hold of the utensil. I could feed myself; I was a big girl.

As soon as it began, it ended. It was all I was allowed to eat for the night, under the pretext that I would get sick if I ate any more. Still, I was craving more to eat, but Severus was adamant about his decision, so I gave in.

"So, what will I be doing from now on?" Severus relaxed on the sofa, a lazy smirk forming across his lips.

"You'll have to find out." This man was anything but useful. My life stagnated back to normal, and I found it hard adjusting to my new lifestyle. I had gotten used to waking up early and heading to classes, but now that was no longer mandatory, and I felt like a freeloader. As usual, the Weasleys were supportive, especially Arthur. Still, I felt uncomfortable wandering the castle by myself, and so Severus' quarters became mine.

He personally didn't mind, and others had the impression that my presence made him a bearable man. Students greeted him the halls rather than distancing themselves as though he had contracted the plague. Waking up beside him every morning brightened my spirits, reassuring me that this was indeed real, and I wondered if that was how he felt. I was still ashamed of my actions and had apologized to the boy several times, but by then, my name already circulated through the halls, and somehow I became the victim.

This was the shadow I had feared my whole life, the Slytherin name. It was impossible to escape it, having friends, and being treated as an equal had overjoyed me, and I wasn't sure how much things would change from here on out. My only comfort came from the words of those who had remained faithfully by my side throughout the past decade. Albus always had a wise phrase hidden away, and it was hard to feel discouraged every time he spoke to me in earnest. Having lived such a long life, I could only begin to wonder all he had been through.

I had to admit, though, despite the awkwardness of having Aurors and Order members wander the halls, they had become my family, and seeing them every day really did bring a smile to my face. Having Molly around, I wasn't lacking a mother figure either, and I think she and Arthur had secretly adopted me without my consent. She was such a sweetheart, and it made my heart ache at times.

I sat at the high table between Severus and Albus, and the group was livelier than usual with all the extra members. It was good to see everyone having a pleasant time, jokes were cracked left and right, and it was a sight I could witness for eons to come. Remus, who was usually a quiet man, would not shut up today, and as much as I appreciated his enthusiasm, I was not in the mood. Their words fell on deaf ears, and my mind wandered into the depths.

I excused myself from the high table, making my way to the astronomy tower, my frame leaning against the railing, gazing out at the world. It seemed odd that everyone was acting so normal, I still couldn't wrap my fingers around it. For me, my whole world felt like it had shattered, torn limb from limb, and yet, everyone could still laugh, those smiles feeding my depression. How many of those smiles would be claimed by the fires of war?

"Worrying too much isn't healthy." I glanced over my shoulder, greeting Severus with a curt nod.

"How can I not worry?" He had come after me. He always did. Severus was unbearably protective as of late, more so than he usually was. I suppose I should have minded, but I didn't, and I couldn't. A part of me had made him out to be the enemy, and that didn't sit well with him, and so he made it his personal goal to eradicate the false image of himself that had been engraved in my mind. I didn't mind as much as he did, but if our situations were reversed, I would have done the same thing, and so I could not hold it against him.

I spent my free time fortifying my mind, because what I feared the most was seeing _that_ look on Severus' face. He looked broken at times, and it hurt him much more than he was willing to admit, and that broke my heart. I didn't want to make him sad. I propped myself up from the railing and turned to face him, my hand trailing up his chest, lingering above his heart. "I worry about you the most."

"As I," he replied. A soft smile made its way to my lips, and I rested my head to his chest, gripping his robes between my stiff fingers.

"I'm just trying to make sense of everything. It's all happening so fast." He rested a hand on my head, fingers running through my loose curls as he pulled me closer to him. "You're getting better at this."

"What?"

"The whole comforting thing," I whispered playfully, and the look on his face only served to broaden my smile. He smacked my head gently, his chest falling as he heaved out a sigh.

"You are insufferable, now unhand me, woman." I wrapped my arms around his torso, unwilling to let go, and he groaned, placing his hands on my shoulders.

"Don't leave yet..." His hands slid down from my shoulders to my sides, and he nodded, leaning to rest his forehead on mine.

"I still have classes to-" he cut himself off and stared at me, and I could see the cogs turning in his head.

"What?"

"Albus mentioned that you wanted to help out more. I think I have a job for you."

"I don't like that smirk on your face." He hushed me with a kiss and led me down the steps of the astronomy tower.

"And I don't trust you to be by yourself," he retorted. Touché.

"Fine." Per usual, he made a dramatic entrance, the door slamming against the wall, and in he walked. So this is what it felt like to be on the other side of the spectrum. I felt awkward, as my eyes met his sixth-year students. All of them whispering amongst one another, their gazes trailing on me

"Silence!" He shouted. I took a seat at his desk as the room fell silent. This was awkward, they all glanced between Severus and me, expecting him to lash out, but he didn't. I couldn't blame them, no one sat in Severus' seat, that was begging for an early grave. He began his lesson, and I stared at all the papers on his desk. Severus was always a busy man, but he never let his work pile up this much. I glanced at him, frowning slightly, feeling guilty that I had made him worry enough to stop working. I spent the hour grading papers and marking tests. Being in Severus' chair was empowering, and I felt like a badass, which translated to ruthless grading and zero mercy. I'm pretty sure that's how he grades.

The right side of his desk held all the graded papers, while the left were all the papers I had yet to touch. I was determined to get through the stacks, but Severus stopped me, snatching the quill from my fingers. "You'll sprain your wrist at this rate."

"That's nonsense," I huffed, reaching for the quill. We both glanced back to the students looming above their cauldrons, all eyes on us. I couldn't wait to hear all the gossip.

"Get back to work," he barked, handing the quill back, but he left my side with a warning glare, and I rolled my eyes. I was informed that my father would be taking over the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, and I couldn't be happier. Gilderoy didn't look too upset either, he was making a fool of himself, and everyone knew it. He seemed delighted to be rid of the responsibility, and honestly, my father couldn't have been a better instructor.

Most students found themselves fascinated that a descendant of Salazar Slytherin himself would be educating them, and despite being a Slytherin, my father was a very reasonable, and level headed man, the occasional joke was not disregarded either. He quickly grew into a fan favorite, and I hope it hadn't polished his ego too much. That being said, at heart he was still a strict man who had little tolerance for disobedience, and rumors say he rivaled even Severus when in a bad mood. I should know, I'm his daughter. That, and perhaps because he was the only man with enough balls to pick a fight with Sev. That sucker punch was still a vivid memory.

That didn't stop me from dropping by during his detention hour though, it was the only free time he had, and he seemed glad to see me. There were quite a few familiar faces in his detention hall, and I frowned at him. "Tolerance hasn't always been my best trait," he defended.

"What? I would have never guessed."

"You're lucky you're an adult now," he sneered, choosing to ignore my sarcastic glee. He motioned to the empty chair on the side of his desk, but I shook my head.

"I won't be staying long, just...yeah, you know."

"If parenting taught me anything, it's that you should leave your children space, fussing over them will only make it worse."

"Did Kingsley tell you that?"

"Who?" he hummed innocently, averting his gaze back to the assignment he was grading. This man was probably the fussiest father of them all.

"You're not wrong, if Sev fussed over me all the time, I would lose my marbles. I guess it's a good thing lessons take up a majority of his time, or else..." Our conversation had grown back to normal now, the elephant in the room tossed aside as it was best to leave it there. Or so I thought.

"Trauma isn't easy to recover from if you do need help..." he handed me a journal. "Writing can be quite therapeutic, not to mention the variety of individuals you may speak with. There are many Aurors here who have shared the same experiences as you, I know Severus and I can be overwhelming at times, but it's important to seek help when you need it."

"I'm not sure about the talking part, but I'll take you up on that journal." He handed me a special quill and smiled.

"Anything you write down will eventually disappear, so you don't have to worry about privacy." Over the next few days, I did take solace in the journal. Putting all my thoughts and feelings on paper was more liberating than I thought. It felt like all my problems had a solution like all I had to do was scribble down a few words, and everything would go back to normal, but my pessimistic side was in denial. Still, it helped alleviate the burdens of daily life and the horrors threatening to break loose.

I could no longer take refuge in my love of music.

Days, gave way to weeks, and before long, it was February, I still couldn't get used to being Severus' assistant, but at least people stopped staring at the woman comfortably sitting at his desk. A sacred place no student would ever dare trespass upon. It was like getting a backstage pass. My troubles were soon forgotten, replaced by a set of more troubling thoughts, I was still a girl at heart, and Valentine's day was plaguing my mind day in and day out. When I was distracted, nothing good ever came of it as my work had a habit of suffering, and Severus was not oblivious to it.

"That's wrong," he stated clearly, his finger tapping at the question I had unconsciously marked as correct. I scrambled to correct it with a sheepish smile, and the class looked on in morbid fascination. He was openly softer with me, his voice rarely raised itself, and his expression was always somewhat relaxed, some swear they had seen him smile before, despite his best efforts to conceal it.

I wasn't a professor by any means, I wasn't qualified to teach, but when anyone called me professor, I wasn't going to go out of my way to correct them. I walked the halls brainstorming what to get Severus for Valentines, he enjoyed books, but that felt rather anti-climatic. Severus had done a lot for me; he even tarnished a part of his reputation. Perhaps I was too worried about other's opinions. The point is, I wanted to repay him.

I stopped the twins in the corridor, they looked like they were up to no good, and I would like to believe I had authority now. Their lopsided grin spoke for itself, and I rolled my eyes. "And then you wonder why he's always lashing out at you two."

"He can't punish what he can't see," the twins reasoned, and I furrowed my brows, shaking my head at them in a disapproving manner.

"You two are the only morons foolish enough to anger him. You're lucky he hasn't snapped yet."

"Look at her taking sides."

"I'm not taking sides, my dear twins. I'm just telling it like it is, and if you do not believe me, then please refer to your countless detentions over the past few months." That earned a dubious look from both of them, and I smiled.

"Touche." they acknowledged. "But it will take more than that to stop us, dear Rynne. One of these days, we'll prank Snape so hard, he's gonna have a literal fit." I wasn't sure that was such a good idea, to begin with. In the end, I sat beside the two as they puked up slugs onto the grass, students in the courtyard laughing at them, and I shrugged. A big fat I told you so slipped from my lips, but they couldn't comment back as the slugs proved relentless.

"But anyway, enough about pranks. So Valentine's Day is coming up, and I need suggestions. I was thinking flowers, but I don't think Sev likes flowers all that much they wither and die quickly, it's kind of depressing actually. Chocolates sounded nice, but you know I'm not quite sure he enjoys sweets, and a book seems oddly boring despite his love for literature. Everyone gives chocolates, you know, and I don't want to be that chick that's unoriginal, so what do you guys think?" They were still vomiting slugs, and I groaned. "You two are useless."

"Kinda-"

"Busy!" They managed between slugs. I sighed, patting their backs as I brainstormed mentally. Perhaps a romantic date, but knowing Severus, that would end up being wasted. I wanted to make the day special for him. I was also annoyed at myself for being overly worried about something as trivial as chocolates. The twins managed an inappropriate sexual comment in between slug gagging, and I huffed stomping away. There was a reason those two were single anyway, and I'm not sure why I bothered asking them.

In the end, I found myself in front of Minerva's classroom, and she seemed the knowledgeable sort; those sharp eyes of hers must have a lot of wisdom and advice to give. And so I sat down in front of her desk as she offered me freshly brewed tea.

"What Severus likes?" she chuckled. "I would imagine you the better judge of that."

"Severus is...Severus?" I questioned aloud, trying desperately to get my point across.

"If you want my honest opinion," she began twirling her cup of tea absentmindedly. "He would appreciate anything from you, dear." With that, I was dismissed; the endless piles of transfiguration essays on her desk not about to grade themselves. Gift shopping for Severus was impossible, I couldn't see him needing anything, I thought about a necklace, but the man always covered his neck, and sure it's the thought that counts, but I would want to see him wearing it. It was a symbol that I had claimed him in a way, as selfish as that sounded. I racked my head around what the man would need, to say the least, he wasn't emotionally attached to material items, nor could I see him putting anything to use, but most of all, I didn't want to give him a quill for his birthday.

Then again, did he even care about Valentine's day? As sad as this sounded, this was a first for me. My relationships had never lasted that long, most of them unhealthy or just plain dull. Guys only dated me to have sex, and then they disappeared. Apparently, most did not see me as _dating_ material, but all I ever looked for was an actual relationship. And Severus knew this. That is why I wanted to show my appreciation; it was more than just some stupid day for couples to spend an absurd amount of money on each other.

During my free time, I ended up walking to Hogsmeade, browsing the ware of every single shop, for a clue, maybe even a sign? No such luck came my way, though. Severus wasn't much of a picky eater, and he would like chocolates, right? Right. None of the chocolates appealed to me, and I frowned, unsure if this was even worth my time. The older woman over the counter smiled sweetly, shaking a finger. "You could always make your own chocolates."

She had a point; my feelings for him were much more complicated than a simple trip to Hogsmeade for some chocolates. I wanted to give him something special from the bottom of my heart. "I've never made chocolates before," I admitted clasping my hands together behind my back.

The woman's smile only grew as she exited from behind the counter, motioning for me to follow. Her fingers ran through rows of books, caressing the spines as she went. The older woman came to a halt, fingers lingering on the backbone of a particular book, and then pulled it out of its shelf. "This should do the trick then. There's a first for everyone." She winked and placed it in my hands. It was a recipe book. She insisted it was on the house, and I assured I could pay for it, but she didn't want to hear it. So, in the end, I expressed my gratitude, and with a warm goodbye, I left her shop.

I scouted more shops on my way back to the castle and decided to get the twins something too. However, I stumbled upon an odd-looking bookshop I hadn't seen around before, curiosity got the best of me, and I entered browsing through the shelves. I found a book about the evolution of plants, and how they could be cross-bred for specific potions. I knew Severus didn't want to teach Potions, but he still had an affinity for it, and so I picked up the book and waited at the counter, but no one ever came. I checked the price tag on the book and left a few galleons extra on the table, just in case, and left the shop.

Once I made it to Sev's quarters, I sat down on the bed, flipping through the pages. What to make, what to make? Heart-shaped chocolates were alluring but tacky, so I hovered away from those pages. "Hmm, these look pretty good," I murmured to no one in particular. They contained a creamy white chocolate interior and a rich, but slightly bitter hazelnut glaze to balance the sweetness. Now it all came down to whether or not Severus would like it, but that would have to wait, I had to make them first. I dropped by Albus' office, reciting the password under my breath, the staircase coming into view, and with hasty steps, I raced to the top, throwing the door open.

"Rynne," Albus greeted warmly, ushering me in.

"Hi, is it okay if I borrow the castle's kitchen for a-" My eyes widened at the Potions Master seated across from the headmaster, legs neatly crossed, and I awkwardly fumbled realizing I had just walked in on a private conversation. I tucked the book behind my back and smile, pretending as though nothing happened.

"And what would a skilless girl like you need the kitchen for?" Severus asked, his tone indifferent. I had obviously struck at a bad time, but I ignored him despite my slightly hurt feelings. I parted my lips to say something, but I didn't want to be caught with my hand down the cookie jar. With a knowing glance, Albus smiled and bailed me out of this awkward encounter.

"Now, now, Severus, I'm sure Rynne has her reasons." I nodded unconsciously thanking the headmaster for his understanding nature. His eyes twinkled with mirth as I took my leave. "Should you require assistance, simply ask." I nodded once more, ignoring Sev's burning stare as I left in a hurry. What the hell was his problem? As Severus was preoccupied with Albus, I snuck, well more like walked into his classroom. No one would question me. I selected the necessary ingredients for the brew as these were magical chocolates, and it was said to make the chocolates irresistible. It was essentially Amortentia, but in smell only, just a few drops of the brew had to be dropped into the glaze for full effect.

Despite being a grown adult, I entered the kitchen timidly, feeling like a helpless little girl. House-elves were terrific cooks and watching their little figures bustling about to prepare dinner—I wasn't sure what to do. "Ah, Miss Slytherin, Professor Dumbledore said you would be coming," a house-elf smiled. I nodded, rubbing the back of my neck, I guess I should explain myself.

"I was hoping to make some chocolates," I mumbled, earning the attention of nearly every elf in the kitchen. Great.

"And what were you hoping to make, Miss Slytherin?" The chef asked. I handed the elf the recipe book, opened to the right page, and she nodded, clapping her hands together. The elves rummaged around the kitchen, stacking ingredients in a neat corner, and now was my time to speak up.

"I was hoping to make them myself if that's not too much to ask."

"Not at all, Miss Slytherin, right this way," the elf motioned, leading me to a more secluded section of the kitchen. "Good luck, and if you need any help, simply ask," the house-elf smiled, resuming to her work.

"Thank you." I sighed, looking at the recipe book, and sure enough, all of the ingredients had been accounted for. It's just chocolate, what could possibly go wrong, at least Valentine's Day was still a day away, that way I could test my skills by trial and error.

Even though the book had instructions, I did not trust myself to follow directions, which was ridiculous because I was a decent brewer in general; following instructions out of textbooks was perhaps one of my better skills in life.

And so it began...

I poured an inch of water in the double boiler, turning on the stove. I waited for the water to boil, and in the meantime, I took to grating the cocoa butter. Once it was all grated, the water hadn't finished boiling, and with a snap of my fingers, I quickly changed that — the wonders of magic. I slowly poured the grated butter into the double boiler, making sure to whisk along as it melted. Once I was satisfied, I grabbed the white chocolate cocoa powder and mixed it in, waiting till the butter and powder melted into a creamy and smooth texture. Next came the sugar and the vanilla extract, and away I whisked waiting for every last grain of sugar to dissolve. Everything was coming together smoothly so far.

I hadn't burned myself yet, which was an improvement. I hadn't specified which shape I wanted my chocolates to be in the, but the trays looked oddly heart-shaped. I had a feeling Albus was behind this. I poured the creamy white chocolate into the heart-shaped slots and set them aside to harden at room temperature. The kitchen was almost as cold as the dungeons, and the elves assured me it would not take too long for the chocolate to set.

So while waiting, I worked on the hazelnut glaze, occasionally glancing back to the chocolates, I was tempted to probe them to check whether or not they were ready, but the elves only scolded me every time I even came near them. In the end, I was told to take a stroll of the castle while waiting. I knew the elves were trying their best to help me, but I was excited and very impatient, which led me to fiddle with my fingers while roaming the halls. I hope they turn out alright, what if I messed up the glaze?

I had time to spare, and so, I found myself talking to Remus, filling him in on my plan, and he was surprisingly supportive. He ended up lending me his quarters where I could brew my potion in peace. The cauldron was rather small, but I didn't need much of it as I would be adding a small quantity to the glaze. I followed the instructions to the letter, measuring everything as precisely as I could. I was too far gone, and when the door burst open, I accidentally dropped more leaves than intended into the cauldron and gasped. "No, no, no!"

I knew better than to try and retrieve the leaves already melting into the substance swirling against the edge of the cauldron and groaned. "Sev, what the hell?" I pinned him down with an annoyed grimace as the liquid turned black, patches of smoke escaped the cauldron, and it was officially ruined. I demanded an explanation, but his expression seemed...relieved? Until his complexion turned sour.

"You weren't at dinner...and neither was Remus," he spoke through gritted teeth, punctuating every word very dramatically. I rose a brow, pointing to the messy table before me, overwhelmed with ingredients and measuring tools, my finger then dragging his attention to the full moon outside.

"You have nothing to worry about," I smiled. Instead, Severus slammed the door shut, and I thinned my lips, shaking my head. Okay, sure, me doing my work in Remus' quarters wasn't exactly smooth, but it's not like the man was in, and I wasn't doing wrong, was I? Okay, wrong isn't the right word, oh wow, this does look bad. Why do I feel like the bad guy here? I threw the book aside, exiting Remus' quarters chasing after Sev, but he was already gone.

I knocked at his classroom door, but peering in, he was not there. So I stood in front of his chamber, knocking softly. I apologized for worrying him, but no response ever came. The door would not budge, and I let out a frustrated sigh. I knew this was my fault, but he was also overreacting, and now, I had been given the boot for the night — the equivalent of being exiled to the sofa.

I had to gather more ingredients considering my potion had been botched, but I took the time to leave a note on his desk, apologizing properly, and although I could not give him my reasons, for the time being, I hoped he would understand. It took me another two hours to complete the brew, and by the time I was done, the elves had assured me they would take care of my chocolates, and I could add the finishing touches tomorrow.

That is how I ended up in front of my father's door, my knock slow and hesitant. When the door opened, I was met with a frown, and then he sighed. "Did you two fight?"

"I'm not sure I would call it a fight if I'm honest. It's just a bit complicated." I didn't want to get into details, because the last thing I wanted was my father sucker-punching Severus...again. "Is it okay if I spend the night?" Without a word, he stepped aside, beckoning me in, and I gave him a sheepish smile. Perhaps I should ask Albus for my own quarters, to avoid this kind of issue in the future. I suppose it was good that he got upset with me because if he took the time to glance at the items scattered across Remus' table, he would have figured me out in an instant. No, more importantly, is he that oblivious? Or has he just forgotten about Valentine's Day?

The next morning, I ate breakfast with my father, both of us remaining in his room as we idly caught up. He was generally a busy man, and it was entertaining the lengths he went to hide from Tom and his Death Eaters. I had forgotten how much I missed my father. Classes were still in session, and he bid me farewell as he straightened his collar, preparing for his next lesson.

I made my way back to the kitchen, and the elves had so kindly set out my glaze and my chocolates. I immediately hopped to it, and poured the vial into the glaze, mixing counter-clockwise for about three minutes until I was sure everything had blended perfectly. My chocolates were hard, and removing them from their molds proved easier than anticipated. The chocolates had to be perfect, and so, with a wave of my hand, I dipped the chocolates in the hazelnut glaze and let them hover in the air to let the glaze smooth over as it hardened.

I packaged my chocolates and spent the rest of the day talking to Myrtle. It was an odd way to spend Valentines, but it was better than making a fool of myself. At dinner, I handed each twin a different colored box, filled with chocolates, and they thanked me, wasting no time unpacking the box of sweets. "You shouldn't have!" they teased.

"And yet, I did."

"Did you get 'him' something?" they asked. I nodded not going into detail, but I could feel a pair of eyes burning into the back of my skull, and with a small shudder, I left the great hall bidding them a good night. Sitting at the high table would invite tension as thick as a log, and I didn't want to do that, not when everyone looked so happy.

I gathered all of my gifts, and as thanks to the elves, I let them have a few chocolates to show my appreciation, and I think one of them cried. I wasn't sure what that was about. All the professors were having dinner, and so now was a good time to leave my presents on Severus' desk. I wasn't sure how I was supposed to apologize, but this would have to do for the time being. I set the book on his desk, the box of chocolates delicately laid on top, and I debated whether or not to leave the note I had written a day ago.

"Stealing from my wares again?" I froze and turned around slowly.

"I'll replace them, sorry." I kept my eyes glued to the floor of the dungeons, his boots scuttling across the floor. He came to a stop beside me, picking up the neatly wrapped box of chocolates.

"Jealousy can be ugly," he murmured, and I glanced up as his eyes met mine, they held a familiar softness to them, and I realized that was his apology.

"No, it was my fault. I'm sorry, Sev." He seemed hesitant to ask his next question, but clearing his throat, and averting his eyes, he finally parted his lips.

"Where did you sleep?"

"Well after you so graciously locked me out, my father let me borrow his sofa for the night," I was trying to make light of the situation, but Sev wasn't very pleased with himself, and his troubled expression said it all. "It's not that big of a deal, not like you left me stranded in the forbidden forest."

"You always seem to misunderstand the point," he sighs. Taking hold of my hand and pulling me against his chest, his arm slipping around my waist. "Sometimes, I can't tell if you're messing with me, or simply that daft."

"Hey-" He hushed me and made his way around his desk, taking a seat. He examined the box of chocolates, and then the book, a ghost of a smirk playing on his lips. "Happy Valentine's Day," I mumbled, fiddling with my fingers. It probably dawned on him why I needed the kitchen as he opened the box, neatly undoing the wrapping paper, coming face to face with little heart-shaped chocolates. Perhaps a transparent lid wasn't the best idea. The room grew silent, and my anxiousness clutched at my chest. Maybe this was a mistake. What if he didn't even like Valentine's Day? "If you don't like it, I can-"

"Close your eyes," he demanded softly.

"Huh?" His eyes told me not to waste his time, so I did. I shut my eyes, my arms nervously lowering to my side. I heard faint shuffling, his silhouette rounding my form, I felt his hand graze my neck, and I stiffened, partially nervous, the other half...excited. He unclasped the locket, however, and now I was tempted to open my eyes, but he knew me too well.

"Keep them closed." Placing a small tender kiss on the nape of my neck, he replaced the locket with something else entirely, and I held my breath. Severus finally pulled away, and I opened my eyes, staring down at the necklace, resting against my collarbone. It was a snake wrapped around a heart, my initials engraved on the side. Without thinking, I glanced back at him, my lips quivering slightly. "What?" he asked quickly, and I shook my head, averting my gaze as I held the tears back.

"I'll treasure it," I whispered, earning a comical eye roll from him. My chocolates felt irrelevant at this moment, but it was the thought that counted, right? I didn't want to get him a necklace, it felt too forward, and I didn't want to seem too hasty. But by the looks of it, Severus did not care about what was considered hasty. It's just a necklace, Rynne, not a ring.

"You better," he growled. "Money doesn't grow on trees, as muggles say." I was unable to hold my chuckle in and nodded. Now it was his turn, I sat on the edge of his desk, swinging my feet impatiently. He opened the box, and all movement came to a halt, his eyes darting to mine suspiciously. "If I didn't know any better, I would be under the assumption that you are trying to...seduce me." The way he said that had my heart missing a beat, and I chuckled.

"I promise they're harmless, I hope — wait, I never actually tasted them," I rambled, reaching for the box, but he stopped me, placing his hand over mine. He took a piece from the box, savoring the smell, and I blushed grumbling a few slurs under my breath. He was taking his sweet time, glancing between myself and the chocolates, knowing I was on edge. Finally, he plopped the chocolate into his mouth, and I waited.

"It's good," he said.

"Just good?" I asked.

"You are not as skilless as I once assumed, Salazar," he corrected.

"You're an ass. I hope you know that!"

"And yet you find me...appealing," he droned, taking another one out of the box. Much more than appealing, I loved everything about him. The way he spoke, the way he moved, his intimidating nature, those sarcastic comments of his, and the way the corner of his lips always twitched into a smirk. He always tried to pick a fight with me, and those hard eyes of his, mixed with his gentle touches. I was madly in love.

"I love you, and everything about you," I whispered, entangling my fingers amongst one another. This felt like an awkward high school confession, and I didn't like it one bit. He grew silent, and I wondered if I had said something off-putting. He abruptly stood up and threw himself at me, and I found myself trapped in his arms, the hug a bit too tight. "Sev," I mumbled, patting his chest. He cut me off, capturing my lips in a searing kiss, it was deep and passionate, but most of all, he allowed me no time to breathe. There was so much love, and it was overwhelming. His lips were sweet from the chocolate, and it only caused me to melt further, our lips moving in perfect sync. His hand cupped my cheek, deepening the kiss ever so slightly before pulling away.

I was left panting, staring at his chest, the only thought on my mind was how breathtaking that single kiss was. My cheeks felt hot against the cool air of the dungeons, and I pressed the palms of my hand against his desk for support. Severus gently brushed my bottom lip with his thumb, and that loving little smile on hips, nearly crumbled me. "Well what are you waiting for, those papers aren't going to grade themselves." That drawl of his was irresistible, but his words had ruined the mood.

My brows furrowed into a frown, and I wasn't quite sure if he was being serious or not, but this was Severus. I got to work, pretending as though this hadn't been the literal best kiss of my life, but Sev didn't need to know that. My lips were swollen, and concentrating proved impossible. How did he do it? From passionate to indifferent in mere seconds, I envied him.

"You love everything about me?" He suddenly asked, his quill coming to a stop. A grin made its way to my lips, and I acted as though I was deep in thought.

"Hmm, well, almost everything."

"Such as?" It was time to pull a good old reversal.

"Sev, these papers aren't going to grade themselves," I teased, marking the next paper in front of me. When I looked up, he was intently staring at me, and oh boy, did it feel good to hit him with his own medicine.

"Very well, Miss Salazar," he taunted. The banter continued for a few more minutes until I burst out in a fit of giggles, and Severus shook his head, restraining his laughter. The expression on his face was soft and light-hearted, and it was hard to recall the man who always had a scowl on his face. It was apparent work wasn't going to get done tonight, so we retired early, and spent the night in bed. Despite today's antics, it turned out alright, well more than alright, it felt like yet another wall in our relationship had crumbled, and I couldn't be more pleased.


	24. XXIV - In the Shadows

When I awoke, I wasn't surprised to find the bed empty, but it felt warm and comfortable, my fingers brushing the priceless necklace pressed to my collarbone. Usually, if I wasn't on my feet and ready to go by the crack of dawn, Severus acted like a drill instructor. However, the sun was already up, and as I saw it, it was definitely past noon. Our childish banter yesterday mixed with a day's worth of emotional insecurities led to something a bit less pure, and a jealous Severus had little restraint.

My locket sat on the bedside table, two green strings tying the heirloom together, forming a bracelet. I sat up, wincing as my nude body brushed against the sheets, me being sore was an understatement, my body felt like a wet noodle, and I whined reaching for the bracelet. A vial sat beside the bracelet, and I grimaced. Arrogant prick. Still, it was considerate of him, and his arrogance was not idle boasting. Severus was a very enthusiastic lover.

I cleared my throat, voice hoarse from last night's—or I suppose this morning's—activities. I downed the vial in one go and slid the bracelet on, making my way to the bathroom, I barely glanced at my reflection and then froze, a blush creeping up my cheeks. That devil! I traced all the love bites, ranging from my breasts to my neck, and scowled, did he expect me to wear a turtleneck?

I was forced to wear a high collar dress shirt, using makeup to mask the love bites as best as I could, my face burning in embarrassment. I will skin that bastard alive! Arriving to his third class of the day, I bit back a snarky remark, and took a seat at his desk, wincing at the friction. He turned around, that lopsided smirk of his making me want to throw the pot of ink sitting on his desk. "You're late," he drawled, his voice subtly hinting at yesterday's turn of events. I looked away embarrassed and kept my head down for the remainder of the day; I didn't want to draw attention to myself.

The entire class, Severus wouldn't stop stealing glances at me, and while I didn't mind, others were starting to take notice of his odd behavior. As his class came to an end and students filtered out, he turned to me, and his brow raised. "What?" I snapped.

"Did I hurt you?" his voice was cautious, and he kept his distance, looking me over. I shook my head and looked down at his shoes.

"I'm just a bit sore."

"A bit..." he frowned. "We have a safe word." I can't just tell him I was a glutton for his manhandling, he was possessive and I loved it, but I would never in a million years admit to it.

"I'll remember that for next time."

He leaned over his desk, his lips brushing against my ear. "You let your guard down." I didn't know what he meant by that until I felt a gentle tug at the back of my mind, and paled.

He didn't.

"I-" He pressed his index finger to my lips, and that lopsided smirk returned.

"I see," he hummed. "I'll take it under consideration...for future reference." I sat up abruptly, ignoring the ache of my muscles, and without thinking, I stumbled out of his room, my breaths labored. I heard a faint chuckle and grabbed the handle, slamming the door shut. Why did he do this to me? I hadn't even felt him his presence, and worst of all, he made it seem so effortless.

I found my way to the bathroom and locked myself in the last stall, taking a moment to collect myself. "Did you see Snape today? He smiled, and it was like really creepy!" A group of girls snickered.

"I still can't wrap my head around it. How can Rynne tolerate him? More importantly, was she shagging him all year?"

"That would explain her decent grades..."

"She's pretty nasty, but her father isn't so bad looking—" And I had heard enough. I walked out of the stall, staring at the group of girls; their words didn't mean much to me. One of the three girls was about to continue where her friend had left off, but she froze, her eyes landing on me.

"If you have enough room to talk shit, get to class." My glower was enough to send them packing, and in record time, the girls had shoved their makeup kits in their bag and left in a hurry. What did it even matter if I was shagging him or not, not like my grades would amount to much, not when I had already finished my education, still the thought put me in a bad mood. More than that, though...were they right? Was I nasty?

As dinner rolled around, I took a seat beside my father, Severus, late to the party, his seat stolen by none other than Remus. The glare Severus sent his way upon seeing him beside was quite hilarious, but I had no intention of making him jealous, my body would be broken by the end of tonight. My father wolfed down his food, and I chuckled. "Easy there, old man, you'll choke."

"Old?" My remark had the unintended effect, and a morsel of bread went down the wrong pipe as he choked. I laughed to myself, taking a swig of my pumpkin juice in amusement, a singsong _told you so_ slipping from my lips. He recovered quickly, and cleared his throat, his gaze landed on Albus, and rose to his feet, he held his hand out for me, and silently worded for me to get up. I glanced back at Sev, but he waved for me to follow, and without another word, I accompanied my father.

The mood had changed too suddenly for me to process what had happened. Darn, I shouldn't have called him old. Before long, I found myself trailing at his heels on the edge of the forbidden forest. He slipped off his cloak and draped it over my shoulders. "Follow," he motioned. I didn't question him; he had a reason for everything he did. Still, it was unnerving.

"Dad?" I asked after a good ten minutes of silence, but he glanced back towards me, his index finger pressing to his lips.

"Do you know what resides in this forest?"

"To some extent," I acknowledged.

"Only a fool would wander into this forest in the dead of night." He cast a disillusionment charm, and whatever he was about to say must have been of great importance. Reaching inside his chest pocket, he pulled out a ring, another heirloom. "Do you know what this is?"

"Marvolo Gaunt's Ring, I've seen it a few times before, only in pictures and recollections, though."

"This is no ordinary ring. It was in the Dark Lord's possession, an item he holds dear, stashed away for protection. An heirloom that holds dark secrets which should never be uncovered..."

"It's a Horcrux..?" I questioned. "And you stole it from him!?" And then all the pieces of the puzzle clicked into place. That night the Death Eaters turned on the Slytherin name, that night our manor was destroyed, all because of a stupid ring. I shot my father an annoyed look but quickly calmed myself. No, he had secured a Horcrux, that was worth more than the Slytherin manor. "You're suicidal."

"Perhaps, but whatever happens next, this is your responsibility. I entrust this ring to you, my daughter. I trust Severus with all my being, to keep you safe, or die trying, but when the time comes, you must find a way to destroy this ring, understood?" His eyes fell upon the locket secured to my wrist, and he stared at me long and hard. The locket too."

"Why me? Why not Severus, he's more capable than I am."

"The whole world knows my face," he said softly. "And you're my daughter, and if anyone can achieve what I could not, it will be you, you are my legacy. That, and I'm a gambling man."

"I feel oddly insulted." As the ring fell into my hands, he cupped my cheeks, his eyes boring into mine.

"Under no circumstance are you to wear that ring, understood?"

"Yes."

"No matter what, you must find a way to destroy it, understood?"

"Yes."

"Good."

"What about you?" He smiled softly, a glint of sorrow in his eyes as his arms wrapped around me, pulling me against his chest.

"Don't ask questions." It was an order, and I knew better than to defy.

As predicted, many students had already taken note of Severus' wandering gaze, and it always landed on me. There were rumors, good and bad naturally, but my thoughts trailed back to those girls in the bathroom. Everyone was so quick to judge, not that I could fault them; it was merely human nature.

With everything happening, it was hard to befriend others; it felt like a barrier had raised from the depths of the void. I was an adult, well barely, in my own opinion, but I was much older than all my _peers..._ four to five years, in fact, an odd difference to some. But not to the twins. It didn't matter where I was, or who I was with, they always managed to snatch a morsel of my attention, and I had come to appreciate my time spent with them.

It made me feel young again, not that I was old by any means. They were always full of life and energy, and it was contagious. The feeling made me whole again, and my worries disappeared with them, doubts and insecurities melting behind a wall of laughter. It came as no shocker to learn that they were the first to catch the Potion Master's wandering eyes.

They made an effort to spread positive rumors, and despite their aloofness at times, they understood the impact this had on our relationship. That being said, our discovery had not put much of a strain on us, Severus' eyes challenged any and all comments regarding his subtle shows of public affection. And by now, others knew to steer clear, because Severus' bite was stronger than his bark.

Some thought it would be funny to test his patience, believing that somehow, I had thawed his icy heart. Oh, how wrong they were. To put it bluntly, Filch was having the best few weeks of his life. "So Rynne, do you have any plans for the weekend?" the twins asked, cornering me in the library.

"No, but if you're taking me out, I insist on paying," I smiled back. "Although I think I'd rather stay in bed and read a book or something." My sore body could not handle a trip to Hogsmeade. It would be the death of me.

"Are you sure that's...all?"

"I assure you that it is, and my sex life is none of your concern," I sneered back, smacking the backs of their head. "Maybe if you two had the balls to ask some girls out, you wouldn't constantly be prying into my love life."

"Perhaps," they mumbled, exchanging devilish glances, and I sighed. It was impossible to get across to those two. Their smiles were beaming as they looked at me, and I quickly regretted everything. "Okay, then, how about a bet?"

"A bet..?"

"Yes. If we manage to get dates for this weekend," Fred began.

"You have to help us prank Snape, deal?" George looked a bit too happy for his own good.

"If is the big word there, but fine, I guess."

"Weasleys." A silky voice drawled, a hint of venom laced in his word. Severus placed a hand on both their shoulders, squeezing harder than necessary. I shot him a smile, but he barely glanced in my direction before he leaned down, murmuring between the two of them. I couldn't make sense of the one-sided conversation, but whatever he had told them, Fred and George instantly paled. Having made his point, Severus walked away, flourishing his robes with a sly smirk, and I frowned.

"What was that about?" The twins coughed nervously, unable to meet my gaze, and then they exchanged a look and smiled sheepishly.

"Oh, look at the time-"

"Indeed, we have affairs in need of handling!" With that, they were gone as quickly as they had arrived, and my frown deepened. Whatever Sev had told them, it had been enough for the two of them to almost shit themselves, and he strutted away with such a proud smirk too.

Classes were in session, and I sat on the steps leading out to the courtyard, the massive door behind me, slightly ajar. An Auror took a seat beside me, and I was skeptical at first until my mind narrowed down the possibility of his being here. My father had probably nudged him to try and talk with me. In the end, my father always got his way. "How are you feeling?" the man asked, a soft smile on his lips. He could have at least sent a woman.

"Good, I suppose."

"So is that a good, or an I'm fine," he casually mocked with a lopsided grin. I chuckled and surrendered.

"Probably the latter." I guess this man wasn't so bad; my father had picked well.

"You know," he began, and I watched as he rolled up the sleeve of his right arm, revealing scarred flesh, the word _mudblood_ still prominently displayed. "I received this little present about three years ago. It haunted my dreams for about a year, and even today, I'm not quite sure if I'm over it, but I know one thing," he hummed. "Being able to get back on your own two feet after being knocked down. There's no greater feeling." His eyes gazed to the sky, soft and almost dreamy, like being tortured was the most natural thing in the world.

"We're not so different, Slytherin. In the end, we just want to do what we think is best, no?" I could agree to that, but a bitter chuckle escaped my lips anyway.

"I'm starting to doubt what I deem as _best_ lately."

"Don't we all?" He rolled his sleeve back down and peered at the mouse high tailing it for cover. "We can't deny fate, but we can bloody defy it." That grin was contagious, and I nodded, unable to hide my amused smile.

"You seem like a reckless person, how have you lived this long?"

"Stubbornness," he admitted with a gleeful smile. "Point is, don't let your scars define you, embrace them, and the world will seem tad bit brighter."

"Brighter?"

"You look like you've lost hope," he muttered to himself. "The second you lose hope, it's as good as giving up."

"I haven't given up. I'm just...trying to be realistic, I guess?"

"And what is the reality you foretell coming?"

"Somewhere between doom and despair," I joked. He, however, didn't look all too amused.

"That's not realism, just pessimism, girl."

"Good, I don't want to set the bar too high." He punched my arm playfully, and to my surprise, I was actually enjoying the Auror's company. I watched as a group of girls passed us, idly chatting about their lives with a careless smile.

"What do you see here?"

"Comfort, happiness, and hope..."

"That's why we fight. Children should not be fighting our wars. We bear their burdens so they can remain hopeful and look forward to the future. If you can't fight for yourself, Slytherin. Fight for others, so that they may never know the pain of being scarred." He clapped my shoulder and stood up, giving me a thumbs up and a lazy wave as he strode off. "Keep that in mind, Slytherin."

"I will," I mumbled to myself. It was time to attend to my duties as Severus' glorified assistant, but his words still resonated in my mind. Fighting for others..? My immediate thoughts fell on Severus. Part of me always wanted to be an Auror, but I was realistic in my pursuit of career options, and being under Tom's thumb for so long didn't exactly align with what dreams I had as a child. I felt a pang in my head, and gasped, clutching my temple. I resisted the presence, keeping it at bay. Leaning against the wall, I glanced around, searching the corridors for a familiar brooding man, but Severus was teaching.

It wasn't Severus. Which left me with one other option, and I didn't like the idea of Tom lurking about my mind. The last time Tom managed to breach through my barriers, I was weak, both physically and mentally, he had an unrivaled advantage, and I ended up giving in, but not this time. I was ready, and I wouldn't let him win. I hugged the wall, feeling my surroundings swirl as I strained to concentrate on my defenses. I felt a hand on my shoulder and groaned, glancing back at Fred. "I-Is it happening again?" he asked. His voice sounded so meek. "I'll go fetch Snape."

I grabbed his sleeve, tugging him back. "N-No...he's teaching. I'm okay, so don't leave...please." I couldn't recognize my own voice.

"You're not fine," Fred snapped and ripped himself from my grasp as he took off towards the dungeons. I didn't want to be alone. It was so scary being all by myself. Tom was not pleased with our last encounter, and I could not blame him. He wasn't used to his plans failing. He wasn't used to defeat. He wasn't used to retreating like a coward. But that's what he was, a coward.

His voice whispered taunts, harsh words clashing against my walls, but I ignored every word with vigor and pushed him back. His words white noise to my ears, I wouldn't let him get to me, not this time. Never again. A presence loomed over me, and I stared at Sev, his face was flushed, the dungeons weren't exactly close by. Fred was a few paces behind him, having finally caught up, and he was out of breath and wheezing. He was Pheidippides, for sure.

Severus kneeled before me, taking hold of my hand gently, pressing the palm of my hand to his chest, his heartbeat irregular as he struggled to catch his breath. Fred stood to the side, watching with a worried expression, but I zoned out the entire world, my eyes captured by Sev's, and I glanced to his lips as they moved. "Focus," he whispered, rubbing his thumb over my knuckles.

I nodded, closing my eyes, his hand was warm, and his calming heartbeat had me fighting every inch of the way. I couldn't tell seconds apart from minutes, but knowing I was not alone, I knew I could win. I may have been a pessimist, but Severus was my hope, the fiery glow of a candle in a dark room, it was dim, but it provided enough light to challenge the night. No, not challenge it, conquer it. The fight was far from over. Tom unwilling to give up on his assault. "You are in control, don't be afraid," Severus whispered.

He squeezed my hand gently, and I nodded in agreement, I was in control, and taking a deep breath, I poured my entire soul and being into dispelling the intruder probing at my walls. Our fingers intertwined, and he whispered for me to maintain control, his voice soothing and calming. Then, in a split second, the connection was gone, and I had won. I let out the breath I had been holding and stared at Severus' chest. I did it.

My eyes met Sev's, and I grinned, despite the mix of emotions swirling in my hues. I couldn't help the grin on my face, and he chuckled, nodding at me, I leaned forward, about to capture his lips when Fred cleared his throat awkwardly. Right, right, we were in the middle of the corridor. I pulled away covering my cheeks, and looked at his slender fingers, toying with them. "Weasley, if my memory serves me correctly, you should be in class at this very moment." Fred didn't need to be told twice and disappeared down the corridor

"And shouldn't you be teaching?" I countered playfully. He pinned me down with a look, and I rose a brow. "I'm fine, don't worry." With Fred now out of the way, he leaned down, pecking my lips softly and rose, helping me to my feet. He flourished his robes, stalking off towards the dungeon, his robes billowing dramatically behind him, but he came to a stop and glanced over his shoulder.

"Well, are you coming?" I smiled and caught up to him, and we walked side by side, his brows furrowed as he neared his classroom. The corridor smelled like smoke, and he inwardly sighed as he slammed the door open, glaring at the one student who had managed to blow up their potion in the small amount of time he was gone. Severus was silent as he led me to his desk, building up the thick tension in the room, and as soon as he turned around, I couldn't help my amusement as he went off. Ranting about how he couldn't leave a group of 6th years unsupervised for ten minutes, half of them looked mortified, most of all, the student who had managed to blow up his cauldron.

I chuckled, and Severus' attention snapped to me. I had been efficient when it came to grading papers, while Severus insisted on grading the essays, everything else was left in my care, leaving me with nothing to do. I found myself sketching his profile as he lectured about the effects of the Wiggenweld potion. With the remainder of class left, one hand shot up, and Severus looked to them, motioning for them to speak.

"My father told me that Veritaserum wasn't admissible in wizarding court if that's the case, why is it still practiced?" It had nothing to do with the subject at hand, but Severus cleared his throat.

"Miss Slytherin here has been on the receiving end of such interrogations many times over the course of her lifetime; I'm sure she wouldn't mind explaining." I shot him an annoyed look and sighed, setting down my quill.

"Occlumency can defy the laws of nature, and when it comes to Veritaserum, a skilled Legilimens like Professor Snape could out-wit the effects of said potion. An entire case could crumble with the misuse of Veritaserum as it could fall in favor of the defendant, which is why it is usually not admissible in a court setting. That being said, Veritaserum is for acquiring personal knowledge. Hypothetically speaking, if you knew the defendant was guilty but lacked evidence, you could switch the focus of your case as you would know what to be looking for." Severus smiled, looking overly proud of himself, and I was tempted to sneer at him.

"And are you a skilled Legilimens, miss Slytherin?" the student asked, and I wasn't sure how to answer that.

"Yes," Severus curtly replied, and a dark and threatening smile appeared on his lips. "Skilled enough to defend even against the Dark Lord." I gaped at him, unsure how I should feel about such information being divulged, but Severus was calculative, I just didn't know what angle he was working. "Class dismissed." I waited for every student to leave and leaned back in his chair, staring him down, my bottom lip caught between my teeth.

"Why did you say that?"

"Isn't it obvious?" he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Most will not be inclined to mess with you should they know of your exploits."

"I only managed to fight him off because of you."

"You held your own just fine, and I was only there for damage mitigation should things get out of hand."

"Is that what we're calling it?" I mused, the amusement evident in my voice. "Well, not that I can blame you, I'm a danger to myself and others."

"We can agree on something at the very least." I threw a pencil at him, and he smirked, catching it with ease.

"And you called me insufferable once." He strode over to his desk, taking hold of the parchment I had scribbled over.

"Your attention to detail is uncanny, though I must say I do not believe my nose to be that large."

"Are you feeling self-conscious about your nose, Sevy?"

"Don't call me that," he growled. I stood up and kissed his nose, leaving him to recoil at my affection.

"You can keep the drawing." To my surprise, he didn't crumple it up, but instead stored it begrudgingly in the top drawer of his desk, taking note of the little heart drawn on the top left corner of the paper. Perhaps that was why he had put me on the spot; he couldn't stand my artistic creativity. I spent the rest of the day browsing through the restricted section of the library, intrigued by the numerous topics which indulged the dark intellectual residing within me.

As the night proceeded, Severus was unusually quiet, and to be fair, he was reserved in general, but strangely so tonight. He never ceased to observe others, but he seemed lost in thought, a rare sight to behold for a man who didn't dare dream of the future. Of all the people seated at the high table, I was perhaps the only person he could tolerate to spend more than a few minutes with, but even he seemed in no mood to speak to me. Giving the man his distance was about the wisest course of action I could take. Pushing his buttons or prying generally didn't result in anything...constructive.

He met my eyes a few time, and although I was clear that he could come to me for literally anything, he averted his eyes and rose, leaving the great hall, and it was blatantly clear that he did not wish for me to follow. His chambers were cold that night, and I slept alone, the warmth of his body lacking in the dimly lit room. I awoke the next morning in the same empty bed and traced a hand over where Severus usually lay. Where was he?

It came as no surprise when the seat beside me remained empty at the high table; conversations staggered, as usual, no one too keen on catching each other's attention without a good cup or two of coffee. After breakfast, I tried my best to intercept Albus, but if I didn't know any better, I would assume he was avoiding me, or today was just not my lucky day. There was a quidditch match later, and as Severus was not present, I would be attending in his stead, mostly so I could see how my team was faring without me.

It felt odd standing in front of my peers, the very same people I studied and shared my food with over the past few months. I followed his lesson plans to the letter, deviating only when I felt the need. Severus was impeccable when it came to planning lessons, especially so now as news of the Dark Lord had come to light. Even so, my thoughts were elsewhere and assigning a potion, I took a seat at his desk, contemplating what could have put him so out of it that he felt the need to disappear. I knew Severus rather well, and when he vanished out of thin air, it was usually related to his Death Eater duties.

So what about now? What was he doing that required this blatant secrecy? It was rare for Professor Snape to miss a quidditch game. He was, after all, the head of our house. It was a disappointing game without me in there, and I missed the rush and the thrill of the wind blowing in my hair, and — as odd as this sounds — nearly getting my head lobbed off by a bludger. On the bright side, we won, but a win against Ravenclaw wasn't much of an accomplishment.

As much as I wanted to get out there and let loose, the weather was horrendous, and by the end of the match, the rain froze over, and my teeth clattered as I made my way back to the castle. I turned, hearing footsteps rushing in my direction, and forced a smile as the quidditch captain for the Slytherin team met my eyes. "We miss having you, Sal-Slytherin."

I chuckled and shook my head. "I think it would be against the rules for me to participate now, besides, you guys did just fine tonight." I spotted Albus in the distance and glanced back to the quidditch captain. "Sorry I have to go do something." I jogged under the rain, trying my best to catch up to Albus, all the while avoiding the patches of ice that had been so quick to form.

"Albus!" I was sure the headmaster heard me, but his attention didn't turn to me, my hopeful gaze turned into a frown, and I set off after him. A twist and turn later, and the headmaster was gone, the corridor filled with students crowding to get back to their dormitories in hopes of warming up. I cursed under my breath and gave up, returning to Sev's quarters for a hot shower.

I sat in the bath, letting the droplets cascade down to meet my slumping form. Dragging my knees to my chest, I sighed. What could he possibly be doing? To say I was irked was an understatement; every time I had a problem, or every time I was in trouble, Sev was always there. When it came to himself, however, he always disappeared and handled everything on his own. Hot tears trailed down my cheeks, and I bit my tongue in frustration. It felt unfair. I just wanted to help, unless he did not consider me a dependable person, but I'd like to think I could be.

I was just tired of always being left in the dark, or maybe I was thinking too hard about this. I decided to let it go and let out an annoyed huff. If Severus wanted or needed my help, then he was free to ask. So technically it's not a _we_ problem, it's a _he_ problem. That's what I tried to tell myself, but it sounded childish. Still, it takes two people to make a relationship work, not that it wasn't working or anything, it's just the little things.

A snake slithered up the rim of the tub, and the world skipped a beat. Only one other person had such a patronus. I was out of the tub in a flash and dressed as quickly as I could, my steps hurried as I made my way to the dungeons. I could feel my heart hammering away inside my chest, I was anxious, but that wouldn't stop me. With a hopeful smile, I threw the door open but was met with an empty room, the cool breeze of the dungeons rubbing against my still partially wet skin.

At the very least, I expected a single lit candle, despite how little it would illuminate the room, the man in question leaning back in his chair, brooding with bitter contemplation. But, expectations and reality hardly ever aligned. I came to terms with that rather quickly and left the door ajar, allowing a streak of light to filter through from the lit corridor. His desk was barren except for the quill resting to the side, a pot of ink half-filled not too far off. Nothing of interest came into sight, and I sighed wandering around his classroom, it was hard to see, but my eyes had adjusted enough to see the silhouette of every object.

I glanced at the cauldrons, neatly organized in the corner of the room from my previous class, no indication that the brooding Potions Master had been here in the slightest. I straightened out my skirt and raked my hair back with another annoyed sigh. The door shut itself, and I knew better than for it to be a mere coincidence. I turned around, and although we were both drowned by the darkness, I could see his tall shadow looming about ten paces from me. "There are better ways to scare me," I chuckled, playfully hitting his arm.

His words didn't echo mine, but instead, he leaned in, placing a hand on my shoulder, he pulled me close, and with lengthy strides, backed me against the nearest wall. His hands wandered the side of my body, and his touch was rough, a warm breath hitting my neck. I found my wrists pinned to the wall with a promise of bruising to come, and while Severus could be possessive and was prone to releasing his frustration during more intimate sessions, he was always gentle. He had made sure I would never mistake him for another man, not after what Tom had done, and it seemed silly now, but this man standing before me, who looked like Sev, and even smelled like him, was not my Potions Master.

In three quick motions, I pushed off the wall, headbutting the figure and slamming a palm into his chest. A groan escaped his lips, and it was deeper and rougher than Sev's. He stumbled back, attempting to catch himself on one of the desks, and once he regained his footing, he charged, the charade long over by now. I was thankful his figure was a bit larger than Severus; his silhouette was a bit more visible in the dark as my eyes strained to make sense of the situation. I sidestepped his blow and grabbed his arm, and with a hand around his collar, I threw him over my shoulder, slamming him down against the floor of the chilled dungeons.

I threw a cauldron at him, and those were not light in the slightest. Not wanting to stay trapped in the dark for long, I ran for the door, wordlessly throwing chairs and desks between us, anything to hinder whoever this man was. A Death Eater, no doubt. Which begged the question, how had he slipped into the castle? I threw open the door, amazed that it hadn't been sealed with magic, but as the seconds passed, the assassin emerged with a look of fury on his face, and I delivered a sharp blow to his chest, sending him bolting back into the nearest wall.

That was the beginning of a confrontation in a once peaceful corridor, we were equally matched in terms of our dueling abilities, spells were either blocked, deflected, or countered, and the only damage done was to the walls and paintings, to which I felt awful for. However, out of the blue, the man pulled out a dagger from his cloak and hurled it in my direction. My first instinct was to dodge, and that was the first mistake of many, the world stopped, as a bright flash of light blinded me, time slowed, and I was blasted back, air sprinting from my lungs.

Sliding across the cold stone floors, I was still in shock. My skin was scraped, and I couldn't breathe, yet with every second, my ears pounded, the man's boots clicked with every step he took. I didn't realize I had lost my wand until I curled my fingers, trying to get feeling back into my hands, but it was gone. My hands swept the ground not too far from me, but I was unable to sense it on the floor, I gave up, and received a brutal kick to the chest. I groaned as I rolled onto my side, and he went for another blow, I caught his foot, and pushed him away, quickly getting to my feet.

Whoever this man was, his orders were clear, I was to be brought alive, and if not, then a swift death would have to do, but that must have been his last resort. "That's not very nice," I chuckled darkly, rubbing my chest. He tucked two wands inside his cloak, and I could only assume one was mine, and I frowned. Why were they always so adamant on a showdown. Not that he could restrain me with a spell now, I assume that dagger had been his trump card, and my wandless magic wasn't the best, but it was enough to block most intermediate and straightforward spells.

I stared at the assassin holding my chest as I caught my breath, how would I get out of this situation? One thing was for sure though, I would not win this fight, and Severus was definitely in the castle, his patronus had come for me. I hadn't realized where he was standing as he picked up his discarded dagger. Oh, fuck no. Now was a good time to flee, I could make it to the gargoyles, or at least to Albus, and where the hell were the Aurors when you needed them?

What if he was expecting me to make a run for the safest place in this castle? What if he had paved the way for me to fall into his trap, it didn't seem unlikely. Suddenly, the corridors were plunged in darkness, and my breath caught, but I couldn't stop running. This was advantageous though, he still had his wand on him, but would he be able to aim accurately in the dark, yet part of me knew his wand wouldn't see much action tonight. I felt a trickle of blood and frowned, bringing a hand up to wipe my nose, when did this happen?

I was too focused on my bloody nose to realize the staircase that lay before me, and losing my footing, I guarded my face as I tumbled down the flight of stairs. When I finally came to a halt, I unsuccessfully tried to pick myself up, my body aching and crying out for the pain to stop. Sometimes, I wondered how I had lived this long. After the fourth attempt, I finally picked myself up to the familiar click of combat boots and stood only to feel a sharp edge pressed along my neck. "Let's not be stupid now," the man warned, he took quiet and careful steps back, hiding us in a small alcove covered by tapestry.

As the steps came close, I scoffed and stepped on his foot, this was my ticket out, and I'll be damned, if I let it slip away. I elbowed the assassin as hard as I could, and pulled out of his grip, ignoring the feeling of his dagger digging into the flesh of my neck, there was too much adrenaline for me to care. "Sev!" I shouted into the darkness, and as he came into view, I collapsed onto my knees. With a deep and shaky breath, the assassin took off, making his escape into the night. My hands shot up to my neck, and I applied pressure, leaning against the wall, closing my eyes slowly — slow and steady breaths. The cut was deep, and I could feel my blood pooling, but all I could do was remain calm.

I felt a hand on my cheek and opened my eyes, Severus staring with furrowed brows, his eyes trailing to my blood-covered hands. It would have taken him about half a minute to tend the wound, but every second was precious, and my neck could wait, because that man took off with my wand, and I was not losing another one. Not again. " _If_ you don't catch that man," I breathed slowly. "I will haunt your fucking corpse..." He seemed oddly surprised but got the message loud and clear as he stood, flourishing his robes. His face clouded over with menacing shadows, hiding his displeased expression, and with four lengthy strides, he turned to a flurry of fabric and mist, disappearing down the hall into the shadows.

I calmed my breathing, regretting haven spoken, but in due time, my body felt numb, and I couldn't move properly. I found myself alone again, plunged in the cold darkness as I waited — utter silence. My fingers felt like ice against my skin, blood steadily trickling from my hand, and no matter how much pressure I applied, it only seemed to grow worse. It felt odd; rather, I felt calm, even though the possibility of death knocking at my door was closer than it had ever been before. I could feel myself dying, and yet I was strangely alright with that, and the feeling scared me more than death itself. I closed my eyes once more and drifted off as I waited for the familiar click of combat boots, but they never came.

My eyes fluttered open slowly, and I blinked, trying to adjust to the dim lighting affixed to the walls. I tried to sit up, but a large hand rested on my chest and forced me back down gently. The comforting aura and warmth that radiated from the room were all too familiar, and I could tell we were inside Albus' office. My head rested on Sev's lap as he peered down at me with a disapproving shake of his head, and my eyes trailed from his to Fawkes, looming over me from the armrest, leaning down, the phoenix nuzzled my neck, and dropped one last tear as it tore itself from my side and flew back to its cage.

My gaze fell back on Sev, and then to the blood on his chest, and I shot up with a small gasp. "Are you hu-"

"It's not mine," he quickly cut me off, I rose up a bit too fast, and the world spun as I clung onto his shoulders. "You are in no condition to worry about others, at the moment," he scolded, his hand grazed my neck, fingers sliding along my now closed wound.

"I feel fine."

"You were not fine when I found you," he snapped back, those haunted eyes once more prominent.

"Well, I am now." Despite my protest, he was adamant that I remain with him for the time being, I rested my head on his shoulder, nuzzling in the crook of his neck. For a man who spent his time brooding in the dungeons, he was oddly warm, that or I was cold. Albus hadn't said a word yet, and his gaze was trained on us, seeming almost amused, was his face not set with a grimace, still, though, it wasn't enough to hurt his appetite as he feasted on lemon sherbets. Perhaps that was his coping mechanism?

"I assume you apprehended the suspect, then?" Albus asked, casually pouring Severus a glass of firewhiskey.

"As I saw fit." He took the glass in hand, and I stole it from him, downing it in a matter of seconds. He stared, long and hard, his lips thinning into a straight line.

"Now is hardly the time for you to be drinking."

"On the contrary, after nearly bleeding to death, I need a few more glasses." Albus obliged to my wishes, earning him a dubious look, but Severus soon gave in, it was two against one after all. I lounged on his lap, sipping away at the whiskey, letting the burn wash away the feeling of another near-death experience. The two chatted away, and I couldn't be bothered to listen, the last thing I wanted to think about at the moment was Tom.

"Rynne, you've been silent so far, anything to add?" Albus asked.

"She's upset with me," Severus sighed, taking the glass from me.

"Hey, I wasn't done!"

"You are now," he growled, daring me to challenge him, and I did, by pinching his arm. Albus noted the tension in the room and within the next minute, had dismissed us, concluding the conversation they were previously having. He helped me to my feet, making sure my senses were somewhat clear before escorting me to the door. Once the door shut behind us, I turned to him, and I could tell Severus wanted nothing to do with whatever I was about to throw at him.

"Where were you?" I asked calmly.

"That is none of your concern," he spat coldly.

"I—you..." I wasn't even sure how to reply to that. "I just wanted to help you." A tense silence settled between us for the remainder of the night. As we entered his quarters, I made my way to the bathroom. A long and hot shower took care of the dry blood on my skin and clothes, which eventually turned into a bath. I didn't want to leave the bathroom, mostly because a part of me wanted to jump Sev and claw his eyes out.

I watched the water, slowly eating away at the bubbles, and absentmindedly, I splashed water around, watching as some bubbles collapsed on themselves. I was exhausted, and sleep seemed perfect, I was tired of worrying, of thinking, and overthinking every single little detail. I just wanted everything to disappear. The bathroom door opened, and Sev walked through, I brought my knees to my chest, and hastily pushed the bubbles closer to me. "Sev, it's called privacy."

He ignored me, and took a seat on the ground, resting his arms on the rim, his hand taking hold of one of mine, his eyes set with purpose. "I didn't want you to find out."

"Find out what?" I asked cautiously.

"It displeases me when other men bring you pain or discomfort," he seethed, taking a lock of my hair between his fingers.

"Are you referring to...Tom?" I asked. He nodded slowly, his lips parting but then closing quickly, he was still thinking. This was an odd sight for sure, Severus wasn't one who usually had to think much before speaking, his instincts were spectacular, and his body often knew what to do without too much thought.

"I simply made a point," he assured.

"A point?" I was very doubtful of that, but I wouldn't question him, mostly because I didn't want to hear the answer.

"It's one way to put it," he nodded."

"You could have still told me. I'm not going to stop you. If you feel the need to do something, you're free to do it. I just wish you tell me. I never know what you're thinking, and sometimes it worries me, and when you're down, you never talk to me. I want to be there for you because it's an important part of a relationship, I think. It's unfair..." I held back the tears, focusing on the bubbles so that I wouldn't lose all my emotional control. "You're always there for me, when I'm sad, when I'm hurting, or when I'm lonely, but when it comes to you, you always try to do everything on your own and then disappear, and I feel useless. I know I'm not the most reliable person, but even if I'm useless, I at least want to try." The tears had pooled up by now, and I wiped them away, facing the tiled wall, so I wouldn't have to look at him.

He remained silent, and when he stood, I was hoping he would just leave me with my shame, and get on with this. However, he climbed into the tub, and it's not as uncommon as it seemed, except for the fact that he was still fully dressed. "At least take off your robes," I scolded, watching the material soak in the bubbly water with ease.

He embraced me, burying his head in the crook of my neck, his arms tightening around my waist, this was not the ideal time and place for this, but Sev seemed to think otherwise. "You silly girl, don't be ridi-"

"Don't tell me not to be ridiculous." He brushed my bottom lip with his thumb, pecking them softly before resting his forehead against mine, his gaze focused on mine intently and he smiled, a soft and gentle smile that still felt somewhat unfamiliar.

"You've done more than enough. More than I could ever ask for." That didn't quite make sense, and cocking my head, he shook his head. "Don't argue with me." Five seconds passed in silence. "So, I'm...sorry."

"And?" I demanded.

"And I'll let you know next time."

"And?"

"I'll get out of the bath," he grumbled, picking up his drenched robes. He dried himself instantly as he exited the bath, and even as Severus peered over his shoulder to get one last glance at me before he left, I did not know what he meant by _more than he could ever ask for._ I hadn't done that much. I casually forced myself into his life until eventually he relented and let me in, that wasn't much of an accomplishment, well with Severus, perhaps it was. It took me almost nine years to break down those walls of his. It wasn't anything spectacular; I was just really stubborn.


	25. XXV - The Order

The water was still warm, and after Severus had left, my head naturally leaned down to meet the edge of the bath. I closed my eyes, listening to the ambient sounds, the sink letting an occasional trickle down the drain, bubbles shifting at my side, and the wind howling outside as snow made its descent to the surface. My body felt relaxed, so when a wave of dread hit me, my eyes shot open, body jolting forward, and I held my neck, expecting to find the wound present and gushing blood. The trauma had finally set in.

While I loved taking baths, I don't think my subconscious could handle that, so with a soft sigh, I exited the tub. The comfort and warmth were still present, so I made haste to dry myself, my gaze lingering on the mirror. I looked healthier than expected, but I supposed those were the privileges of phoenix ownership. Maybe once Albus kicked the bucket, I could politely ask if I could adopt Fawkes, he liked me well enough.

My bloody clothes were gone, replaced with sweatpants and a tank top, my lazy day clothes as Severus liked to put it. Once I exited the bathroom, a small towel resting around my shoulders, I stopped, glancing back and forth between Severus and the headmaster. They were seated across from each other sipping, what I could only assume to be black and bitter coffee based on the smell.

"Did I miss something?" I asked quietly. Severus shook his head and rose to his feet; his cup abandoned at the table. He tugged at the towel softly, then slid it out from its rightful place across my shoulders, and dried my hair with care. He didn't say anything, nor did he have to, my hair was already dry, but he continued his rhythmic motions, pulling me ever so close as the seconds passed.

"Shall we be on our way?" Albus asked.

"No, we are not taking her along," Severus barked, his hold on me tightening, the towel all but forgotten as it dropped to the ground. I wrapped my hand around his and looked up at him through my lashes. He met my gaze, with a steely look, but I didn't even know what the subject at hand was, and frankly, I could not seem to care, I just wanted to sleep knowing Severus was at my side.

"Severus, she's more than old enough. You can't keep employing the same justifications. The line has long since been crossed." He finally met my gaze fully; the conversation we had a mere hour ago slowly crept up his conscious. And so, Severus clenched his jaw, obviously frustrated, but not enough so to make a scene. After a slow exhale, he looked down at me, almost pleading for me to deny whatever offer was being put on the table.

"You can't say I'll be in harm's way," I chuckled softly, hand trailing to my neck. Severus caught on quickly and squeezed my hand gently unwilling to let go. "I'll help in any way I can, Albus." I glanced up to Sev, who gave a hesitant nod, despite it going against his wishes. We were set to leave soon, and Albus left, subtly indicating that he would be waiting outside.

"You're always in harm's way," he sighed. "For once, I wish I didn't have to worry, but with you, it's impossible. You attract danger wherever you are."

"Such is the Slytherin curse," I mused. He brushed my curls aside and cupped my right cheek, kissing my lips softly. Before getting too carried away, he draped his robes around my shoulders and glanced at the door of his quarters.

"Shall we?" I nodded, and after reaching the courtyard, I huddled close, watching the snow with slight fascination, it looked lovely tonight, the thin layer of snow on the ground made the world look tame from this angle. Albus stood waiting in the courtyard, and as we strode up to him, he held out his arm, and with my free hand, I gently gripped his forearm.

We landed in a rather bland muggle street, nothing too out of the ordinary. Albus clapped his hands once, and the building before us parted, revealing a hidden structure. That's neat. Unliking arms, Albus knocked politely, and within seconds, the door was thrown open by a rugged man, his unruly hair curling down the sides of his face, and a wide grin consumed me. I jumped in the man's arms, laughing softly. "Snuffles!"

"Oof!" Sirius groaned, wrapping his arms around my frame and set me down before he broke his back. Still, though, he returned my eccentric smile and pulled me close, his sneer landing on Severus. "Ah, Snivellus," Sirius greeted, his fingers finding a loose strand of my hair to play with. "Rynne, it's never too late to change."

I couldn't help a small laugh, but trying to pull away, I found myself trapped in his arms, and I glanced over my shoulder, Severus glaring daggers, looking ready to pounce on the Animagus. I stepped on Sirius' foot, and he let go, a hint of surprise on his face as I retreated to Severus.

"You might want to be careful, Snuffles, or you might find your tuff getting a new do," I threatened playfully. The man patted his hair unconsciously, and I smiled. Severus wrapped an arm around my waist and led me into the Order's headquarters. It felt oddly homey, despite the dull look of the home, it felt like being trapped in a bleak black and white paper from the 1800s.

Albus led the way, his hands clasped behind his back, walking in a carefree manner. How the headmaster always managed to remain so calm, I didn't know, but it was a genuinely commendable skill. As we rounded the corner to the narrow hallway, Sev spoke up, tapping my waist lightly. "I believe you should know everyone here." I nodded along as we crossed the threshold into the kitchen, familiar faces greeting me: ministry officials, professors, renowned wizards, and a few friendly faces I had seen on occasion.

"Oh, dear!" Molly squealed, running to me, her arms forcing me in an embrace only a mother could provide.

"Sorry about your house," I mumbled for the umpteenth time.

"Oh, don't you worry about that, dear, have a seat, quickly now," she insisted. "You must be starving after the night you've had." My gaze snapped to Albus, and his eyes seemed to wander over to Kingsley, and the two began conversing, why does everyone talk so much.

"I am, thank you." She set a platter of food before me, and I spent my time eating and poking around at my food. I was hungry, but my appetite had taken a blow, this seemed to be a reoccurring theme as of late. I was also self-conscious of the fact that I was the only one eating, most of the Order members took to drinking coffee or tea, idly chatting about menial topics. I was grateful for the food, though, and would clean my plater regardless of how I felt.

As the minutes passed, the table grew more lively, Sirius and Severus going at it—whatever they always argued about—but I was quick to zone them out, I could not seem to care, not tonight. Alastor sat across from me, his eyes focused on me, his stare intent, and brows scrunched. I raised an eyebrow, and he responded by narrowing his eyes slightly, but then they softened, and he offered a wicked grin as if he knew something I didn't, and that thought didn't sit well with me. I liked the man well enough, but a part of him had me wary.

Finally, Severus took a seat beside me, his chin resting on the palm of his hand as the crowd finally quieted. "What are they waiting for?" I asked.

"For you to finish eating," he murmured back, a crooked grin graced his lips when my cheeks flushed red, and I shoveled food with haste. He shook his head slowly and conjuring up an extra fork; he helped me clean my plate. I insisted on washing my plate, but Molly would not allow it, she was keeping herself busy. She could have used magic, but she chose to do the job, and the atmosphere in the room suddenly made me nervous. Everyone was seated at the table, playful smiles all but gone, there was even a slight hostility in the air if I read the tension correctly.

"I assume waiting is no longer an option," I started, cutting through the tension in the room, someone had to.

"The Dark Lord will only grow stronger if we continue to do nothing, and as all of you now know..." his attention fell on Albus. "Information is limited. The longer we wait, the more we stand at a disadvantage."

"And what do you propose we do? We are outnumbered, they have eyes and ears everywhere, you should know...Death Eater." I thinned my lips at the insult, but Severus didn't seem to mind, his hand resting on my knee squeezing gently, warning me to keep my words to a minimum.

"Only a fool would openly oppose the Dark Lord, but of course, there are the Horcruxes," he trailed off calmly, his gaze sweeping across the room.

"We know how many there are; however, we do not know what or where they are. I am sure of one thing, though, I already destroyed one, and Nagini is most definitely one of the Horcruxes, but the two are nearly inseparable, so she will most likely have to come last." Severus glanced at me from the corner of his eye, he knew of the locket and the ring, but he didn't say anything. My father had gone out of his way to pass the information solely to me, and although I trusted everyone here with my life, you could never be too careful, Severus knew that, and he was adamant on keeping to my wishes.

"So, we need to discover the other four..." Sirius murmured grimly, clasping his hands together. "They could be anything!"

"And naturally it's much easier said than done," Remus acknowledged, earning a few nods as whispers passed around the table, but that was our only hope for the time being. With the Dark Lord out of the picture, dealing with the Death Eaters would prove simple enough. How one man could have so much power and influence was beyond me, the fact that fellow wizards would rather submit to fate than defy it, it bothered me.

"Shouldn't you know?" Sirius asked, raising a brow. All eyes turned to me, and I felt my blood pump faster. Severus shot up from his seat, glowering at the man sitting at the foot of the table.

"Sirius!" Molly snapped, slamming her fist on the table, and the Animagus huffed, leaning back in his seat. I took hold of Sev's hand, gently running my thumb across his knuckles, and as he squeezed back gently. He sat back down and took his eyes off Sirius.

"I was—umm—not present to see it through to the end..." Noting my discomfort, the room grew silent until Albus cleared his throat.

"Well, I imagine that can be achieved, no?" Albus asked, and Kingsley nodded.

"The right people might know, as always," he said casually, tapping his wand on the table. The look in his eyes spoke differently, but Albus had steered the topic of the conversation away from the impossibility of the task at hand.

"Indeed," Tonks added, rising from her chair. "Don't mean to be a spoilsport, but it's getting late, and well, life calls." I was thankful for the intervention, with the amount of tension in the air, nothing would be resolved tonight, and most seemed apprehensive that Severus was present at this meeting. Whatever Albus had told them, it didn't seem to be enough, but I guess that didn't matter, it's clear that my father wanted me to hunt down the Horcruxes. With tonight's display of hostility, I would prefer to keep it between Severus and me, and if Albus was aware of the information I withheld, he was not going out of his way to share.

With a wave, Tonks took Remus' hand, and the two left the kitchen, each indulging Molly for a hug. They slipped their jackets on, and with a wave, the two took off. The table began to empty, everyone giving their farewells before taking off. I sat in silence, our hands tightly clenched together, it took me a second to realize how hard I was squeezing Severus' hand and let go, but he was quick to retake my hand in his.

"You're tired," he noted.

"It has been a long night." I ran my free hand through my hair, my gaze lingering on Sirius and Arthur, the two exchanging quiet words. Molly, the dutiful caretaker she was cleaned up after everyone, I guess that was to be expected after having so many children. Kingsley finally rose from his seat, and with a glance in my direction, he grinned and took off with Albus in tow.

I leaned on Sev's shoulder, head resting in the crook of his neck, I turned slightly and murmured an amused "Snivellus" into his neck.

"Don't you dare start." Sev pressed a soft kiss to my temple, and I chuckled, kissing his hand, and a sneer met my ears from Sirius' direction.

"That is repulsive," snuffles spat bitterly, much to Sev's amusement.

"Don't be jealous, Black, your moment might come," he said, the smugness all too evident in his voice. With that, though, he helped me to my feet, and I nudged him, hoping the two wouldn't get into a fistfight so late into the night. Despite the two's childish banter, we were welcomed to stay the night, but the compromise was separate rooms.

Sirius made himself abundantly clear that he did not want to hear any _strange_ noises. It had been a long night, and I couldn't be bothered to care, so when I reached the guest room, I threw myself on the bed, curling up against the blankets. The decor was hideous, and I hoped for Merlin's sake that one day, Sirius would repaint his home.

I was dead on the inside, exhausted beyond myself, but I couldn't sleep. It felt cold being all alone, in an unfamiliar bed, in an unfamiliar house. The shadows from the corner of the room seemed to move.

It was eerie, but I knew I was just a bit paranoid, well could it be called paranoia? People were out to get me, so I suppose the feeling wasn't merely superstition. Thoughts like that consumed my mind for a good half hour, it was getting ridiculous, and I should definitely get some sleep. With a snap of my fingers, the candles flickered off, and the room plunged into darkness.

As time passed, it got harder and harder to breathe, my heart throbbing uncomfortably, picking up speed with every errant thought. Before I knew it, my breaths were short and uneven, and I kept my eyes closed, hoping I would fall asleep despite the fear. It helped as a child, to keep my eyes closed, if I couldn't see the monster, then it couldn't see me. Now, as an adult, though, that thought didn't help, it just meant I would leave myself defenseless. That thought forced a hitch in my breathing, and slowly, I opened my eyes.

It felt like the world was closing in on me, the slightest sound forced a nervous twitch out of me, and then I couldn't breathe. I clutched my neck, feeling the edge of the blade digging into my flesh, I was alone, yet it all felt so real. I drew my hand away from my neck, and found my hand covered in blood, I let out a terrified cry and blinked, but the blood was gone. I stumbled out of my room, unable to walk or think straight.

Since when was breathing so hard? It was subconscious, in and out, that's all it was. The burning sensation in the pit of my stomach, spoke differently though, the anxiety was bubbling, spilling over the edge of the cauldron, and with shaky hands, I clung to the wall, unable to stop the tears, fear, frustration, anger—I didn't know. Breathe in, breathe out, right? It's simple, really simple, so why couldn't I manage to do it?

I just needed some fresh air, I made way for the stairs, but a hand clamped around my wrist, pulling me back gently, and I struggled afraid of the dagger that was to come. I was pressed against the wall, and my heart lurched until I saw the familiar black locks of the infamous Potions Master. He stared at me, his gaze trailing up and down my body, his sharp and witty eyes taking in all the information they needed. "You're having a panic attack, calm down," he whispered. Calm down?! If I could, I would have already.

Severus took hold of my trembling hands, and I stared at him, mortified, I couldn't breathe, nothing was coming in, and I was scared—my legs gave out, and I slid down the wall, oxygen unwilling to enter my lungs. He wrapped his arms around me, resting my head against his chest as he slowly led me towards the ground, whispering in my ear.

"It's okay, I'm right here, breathe," he instructed. "No one can harm you here." I felt his chest rise and fall, his breaths long and slow, and without thinking, I imitated him. His large hand fell on my head, brushing my hair, his hand then trailing to my back, rubbing comforting circles, easing the tightness in my throat.

"It's been a long night," I whispered, and I buried my head in his chest as my voice cracked. I didn't like how defeated I sounded, but I couldn't care too much at the moment. Sev pulled me away from him, resting his forehead against mine, inspecting my face with care, and then he rubbed away my tears, and it caused even more tears to flow. "I'm scared." Severus snaked his arm around my waist and pulled me close, intertwining our fingers together, squeezing gently, a kiss falling affectionately on my hair as he sighed softly.

"Everything alright?" Sirius asked.

"Everything is fine, Black," Severus said tightly, patting my hair, his hand leading my head to his chest, his tone warning the man not to linger too long. Sirius seemed to realize this and excused himself as quickly as he had arrived, heading back to his room.

Making sure he had a secure hold on me, Severus helped me to my feet, guiding me down the stairs, handling me like a porcelain doll, and somehow, it was appreciated. My body didn't feel like my own, and I was scared of tripping on myself.

He sat down on the sofa, legs parted to make room for me, and raising a brow, I sat down anyway, his arms wrapping around my waist, keeping me trapped in his embrace. The fire blazed gently, flames flickering as they stood vigil, and I knew then I should have slept with the lights on or at least a candle or two. I slumped against Sev, my head resting on his forearm, and he welcomed the gesture, helping me lie down onto the sofa, my head resting on his lap.

My exhaustion only grew, and my eyes fluttered closed, the flickering flames, dancing softly against my skin, the warmth welcomed alongside Severus'. I felt a gentle caress sweep over my cheek, the motion adapting a repetitive nature, and without thinking, the words slipped from my mouth. "Will you remain by my side?"

"Always," he hummed in a whisper, grasping my hand to hold it firmly against his chest, a promise that went beyond words. The gesture was heartfelt and earnest, the softness in his eyes unrivaled by the years of hardship and bitterness. The Mirror of Erised had not done the man justice. I wrenched my hand from him, covering my face as tears pooled in my eyes; it was all too much to hold in. "It's normal to feel afraid. Fear is what keeps us alive. A man who feels no fear is no man at all." I chuckled silently between awkward sobs, and cleared my throat, peeking at him through parted fingers.

"I believe you to be rather fearless at times."

"I have perfected the art of false confidence. A simple show of certainty will go a long way, especially with the right people."

"You sound like Albus."

"I fear I won't be able to keep you safe," he confessed. My heart came to a stop, and it felt like a hefty a minute had passed before the irregular heartbeat began. With those solemn words, he laid down beside me, a hand tightly wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer against his chest—a confession. I stared at the fire in silence, in all my years, never had I heard him voice his fears, I didn't know whether to feel flattered or broken that he too felt the pang of despair and helplessness.

I grabbed hold of his arm, squeezing it tightly, tears dripping onto his clothed arm. I was scared. I was afraid of death now that I had so much to lose. I didn't want it to be over. Severus could sense the conflict of my emotions and drew me impossibly close, his head resting in the crook of my neck, and that was when I felt it, a single drop of water drip onto my neck, the droplet of liquid trailing down the length of my neck and disappearing into the void. None followed after that, but the implication did not go unnoticed, and for all his cold bravado, even Severus was flawed by human emotions.

"I fear for your safety, too," I whispered, kissing his knuckles. "I can handle anything; it's my secret talent."

"That is an optimistic lie," he drawled, a dark and hoarse chuckle meeting my ear. I was suddenly aware of his presence, his beating heart, the warmth of his body, and his oddly unique smell, his voice, velvet yet rough. To feel the regular beat of his heart was a great comfort of its own. As long as his heart kept beating, anything was possible. I could firmly believe that. He was my candle, my courage, and my hope.

"It's not a lie. In your presence, anything feels possible, I've never felt more alive, despite all that has happened lately. I...love you." Those words had been spoken few times before, mostly from our playful banter, but this time I meant every word. He grew silent, and I stared at the fire, waiting for a response that might never come.

"Me t—I love you," it was a heartfelt whisper, soft yet firm, the hesitation all but gone as he spoke those three little words. "Which is why you can't handle everything." I elbowed him with a small huff, and his arm tightened around my waist. "You let me worry."

"But-!"

"Your affection is more than gratifying, but there's still much you have to do, to learn. You have your strengths, and your weaknesses, so there's no need to stand at a disadvantage when I can stand for you."

"That sounds awful coming from your lips if I have to be honest."

"You are unbelievable," he sighed. "But you...are the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I can _not_ lose you." It was now his turn to nudge me, and soon after, a silence settled back against the crackling of the fire. How was I to respond to something like that? It was well into the early hours of the morning, but I had no plans on sleeping just yet. There was too much to think about, and right now, the last thing I wanted to do was think.

Tears once more escaped me, and I burrowed my head in the fabric of the sofa, muffling my sobs. His knuckles brushed my cheek as he rested his head against mine. "I know that's how you've felt for many years, Rynne. It's a decent enough feeling." I couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped me, but my emotional state warped it, and it just sounded like an awkward gargle. "Am I wrong to assume that?"

"No," I breathed out slowly, hoping to calm my nerves. "You were the missing piece of my puzzle, and it made me feel alive..." I furrowed my brows at that statement. It sounded much better in my head. He placed a tender kiss to my temple, and we once again settled back into the rhythmic silence, and the crackling of the flames.

I couldn't find it in me to calm down, whether it was nervous energy or anxiety, I didn't know, but I needed a distraction. So, I sat up, and glancing down at the brooding man beside me; he peered up at me through half-lidded eyes, almost begging me not to follow through with what I was planning, but my mind was already made up.

"I promise it will be fun," I tempted, poking his chest gently. He groaned once he took a glance as my puppy face, and running a hand down his face in exasperation, he sat up, nodding with a defeated look. Once outside, I linked arms with Sev, and before I could apparate, he cupped my cheek and glanced around.

"You do know where we are going, yes?" I scoffed and brushed his hand away, and then a wicked smirk befell me.

"Perhaps." We apparated to a run-down amusement park, both of us in once piece, and his fear of getting splinched nonexistent. "Have you no faith?" To that, he rose a brow, and I elbowed him.

"This is a different one," he noted dully.

"Yes, we're still in Europe, but one can only grow so fond of London." His hand trailed along the railing to an abandoned attraction, dust accumulating on his finger, and with a thoughtful look, he scanned the park.

"Why this one?"

"It's isolated, and it's pretty too, the sky I mean." Severus looked around, and then to the sky, despite it being the early hours of morning, the sky was bright, some stars visible from where we stood. The thin layer of snow atop the ground, only furthering to reflect the light of the moon. "This amusement park was closed down a while back, but they have yet to start demolishing it. We're also off school ground, so you can't school me." That admittedly sounded a lot better in my head, but Severus let out a breathy chuckle, and it was a blessing to hear his laugh. "It wasn't that funny."

"Cute."

"You should laugh more. It makes you more approachable."

"Who says I want to be approached?"

"Because you're human, and because wanting attention is normal?" My statement trailed off into a question as Severus peered at me, his gaze seeming to darken slightly.

"Hm, is that so? Because I believe you're plenty enough...for me," he spoke nonchalantly, dusting off his shoulders to rid himself of the snowflakes settling on top of the fabric. I bit my tongue, and glanced away, fingers fiddling with the hem of my tank top, unsure how to respond. "Speechless?" The amusement laced in his tone was not missed on me, and I nodded. Damn him.

Taking hold of my chin, Severus forced me to look at him, and I smiled awkwardly. "You are insufferable, and probably the most insolent child I have known to date, but you're more than enough. I assure you." He leaned down, pressing his lips to mine, and I clutched onto his forearm.

At the sound of someone clearing their throat, Severus smirked, his lips ghosting down my flesh and to my neck, lingering for a quick second before placing a tender kiss on my collarbone. He then took a step back and glanced over his shoulder. "What is it, Albus?"

The headmaster's devilish grin had me groaning mentally as he took several seconds to observe, and clearing his throat once more, he tapped twice on his wrist. "Do be on time." With a dramatic clap, he disappeared in thin air, and I shook my head slowly—what a guy. I glanced at Sev, who said nothing, but quickly found his way back to my lips. He took a step forward, forcing me to take a step back until my back hit the side of an attraction, the surface cool even with his robes shielding me.

"Feeling better?" I gave a brief nod, our lingering lips barely an inch from one another as we exchanged breaths, and he smirked pecking my lips once more. "Good." In the blink of an eye, we apparated near the black lake, and his lips quickly left mine, running a hand down my cheek and tucking the loose strands of hair behind my ear. "You're excused from your duties for the day, do get some sleep." He licked his lips and walked away with a lazy wave.

That evil bastard, I thought better of following him in my state and groaned patting down my disheveled hair. I really did hate his self-control at times; it made me look like an eager and needy little girl, which I was not...for the most part. I chewed on my lower lip and let out a frustrated sigh, following after Severus knowing he wouldn't purposefully hinder his pace forever.


End file.
